No half-term rest for RHS teachers as they plan a 200mile bike ride in aid of charity

28 May 2015

On Tuesday 25 May a group of teachers from the Royal Hospital School (RHS), Holbrook, and friends plan to cycle from London to Paris in under 48 hours in aid of their chosen charities; St Helena Hospice in Colchester and Cancer Research UK. The group of ten set off just after midnight from Trafalgar Square and aim to reach Paris by mid-afternoon on the 27 May.

Martin Warren, history teacher and ride organiser, explains the background to the challenge: “A number of members of our school community have lost family and friends to cancer or fought their own personal battles against the disease over the past few years.  Not least fellow teacher, Sarah Goodenough, who died in October 2013 aged just 35 years.  St Helena Hospice was fundamental in supporting Sarah and her family in the final stages and as a result a number of us felt it was time to make a contribution to the fundraising efforts of the Hospice and the important work of Cancer Research UK.

The London to Paris cycle ride is likely to be a tough challenge; not only will we be covering a distance of over 200 miles by bike but we will riding overnight, battling against the hills of Surrey and Sussex before taking the morning ferry to Dieppe.  A further 50 miles that evening will be a real test of nerve, backsides and muscles!  After a short night in Gournay-en-Bray we will then take on the final 90 miles along the Avenue Verte cycle route to Paris.  For many of us this is our first real foray into distance riding and some of us hadn’t ridden a road bike until a few weeks ago!  Although we have set ourselves a significant test of endurance, the pain will be worth it if we can reach our target of £5,000.”

The team has set up a webpage to raise money and would be hugely grateful for any donations that would help them towards their target at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/RHSlondonparis

 

Pictured: RHS Teachers, Tom Wood, Richard Chadwick, Hamish Mackenzie, James Cullen, Andrew Wynn, Thom Hodson and Martin Warren (not pictured David Buchanan, Bill Tweddell, Andrew Quentin and Lise Molard, support vehicle backup)