Twelve days ago, The Edinburgh Reporter reported that five friends were raising money for the Marie Curie Hospice by cycling unsupported from Land’s End to John O’Groats.
Despite the atrocious weather conditions, the group, painter and decorator Gordon Smith from Wester Drylaw, Roy Munro from Leith, Linlithgow couple Scott and Louisa Cockburn and Liisa Chadburn from Lincolnshire arrived on Wednesday evening, eleven days after leaving Land’s End.
So far, they have raised in the region of £10,000 which will be spent locally, mostly on nursing hours for patients in the hospice, and also those who need treatment at home.
A tired Gordon told The Edinburgh Reporter. “We arrived about 6.15pm on Wednesday night after a hard day facing a strong wind and heavy rain, but we kept plugging away and we all arrived with smiles on our faces.
“I don’t think there was one day when we didn’t get wet. Dartmouth was the worst with torrential rain, and on the night we reached the Borders, one of the girls had a blow out and we couldn’t fix it. We managed to get to Innerleithen for a replacement and on the way back, a bat got inside Roy’s helmet!
“It was a great trip and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. The thing that pleased everyone was the fact that we did it unsupported and when you consider we had to pull trailers weighing 20kg that adds another twist so we are all pretty chuffed.”
Arlene Main, community fundraiser from Marie Curie Cancer Centre paid tribute to the group’s efforts. She said:- “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Gordon, Roy, Lisa, Louisa and Scott for taking on the Land’s End to John O’Groats Cycle and raising over £10,000 for the charity. Marie Curie Cancer Care provides free local nursing care to terminally ill patients and while around 45% of our funding come from the NHS the remainder comes from supporter donations, so you can see why challenges like this are so very valuable to us and greatly appreciated. Why not take on your own challenge for Marie Curie Cancer Care and sign up to our next event: Trek Peru in May 2014. For information on our next hospice trek or any other challenges please visit the website: www.mariecurie.org.uk/trekforedinburgh”
Anyone wishing to donate money to this worthwhile cause can do so at http://www.justgiving.com/thecycle
Gordon was intending to have a couple of well earned pints and an early night, but already he is thinking about his next trip which you will be able to follow in The Edinburgh Reporter.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
I am very impressed with the determination of the group. All at Marie Curie will be very grateful I’m sure because you have done an absolutely wonderful job. Well done guys
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