Two men from Bedford are taking on an epic cycling challenge to raise much-needed funds for a charity that is very close to their hearts.
On 21 June, Mark Russell and Simon Fish will complete a 250 mile round trip to the Suffolk coastal town of Southwold, raising money for Keech Hospice.
They are taking on the challenge in memory of Mark’s son, Harry Tomas Russell, who died on 17 November 2015, aged just three.
The Bedfordshire hospice had played a huge part in supporting Harry during his short life and Keech means a great deal to the family.
Their JustGiving page is here.
Like many charities, the coronavirus pandemic has hit Keech hard, losing out on much-needed income from sponsorship, charity events and general fundraising activities while the country has been in lockdown.
“We thought we’d try and raise some funds and awareness for a truly remarkable local charity,” Mark told the Bedford Independent.
“Last year we rode 200 miles in one day, so this year we thought we’d go one step further. As it’s the summer solstice, we’ve got a fighting chance of riding the 250 miles distance within daylight hours.”
Mark began cycling in the summer of 2016, buying a road bike and intending to use it for some low impact fitness.
“I quickly realised the wellbeing benefits of being out in the fresh air and I soon found a cycling buddy in Simon.
“We’ve ridden over 15,000 together since 2016 and although there have been some pretty dark times since Harry left us to be with his sister, Freya Lily, cycling has been a real saviour.
“There have been some tough times on the bike too, but Simon has been there every mile, sharing a joke, offering a shoulder to cry on, fixing mechanicals and providing a Google Maps-type instinct for directions.”
The East coast holds a special place in both Mark and Simon’s hearts so, it felt like the natural destination for this charity challenge in memory of Harry.
If you want to try and imagine exactly what the intrepid duo will be putting themselves through they’ll:
- be in the saddle for 18 hours (thank goodness for padded kit from Pactimo and Flamme Rouge)
- 6,000 ft of elevation (thank goodness that East Anglia is relatively flat)
- burning 10,000+ calories
- cycling beyond 250 miles
“If you are able to sponsor us, Simon & I would be hugely grateful,” said Mark.
“Whatever we collectively raise will mean so much to so many children and families supported by Keech.
“If you are unable to sponsor you can still help us by sharing the event with friends, family and on your socials.”
You can sponsor Mark and Simon at their JustGiving page here or follow their journey and sponsor them on Facebook here.
