Cycling club's big coast-to-coast charity challenge

The Calder Clarion Cycling Club took on the challenge over the summer in support of one of their youngest members, Eleanor, to help adapt a special bike for the 13-year-old, who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

11 members of the club completed the 130-mile ride, from Whitehaven to Sunderland, including two junior cyclists, Ben and Lewis, both aged 13, who finished the ride fastest in just under nine hours. As well as raising the £1,000 the club needed, to have a mechanic adapt a road bike for Eleanor, they also managed to raise £,1000 for Wakefield Hospice, and £800 for St Leonard’s Hospice in York.

“Our members did so well,” said the club’s press officer, Claire Beaumont.

“The bike was a surprise for Eleanor, adapted by our club mechanic Ian Smith, and we presented it to her earlier this month. She was absolutely delighted. And we must say an extra thank you to Ben and Lewis for taking on such a feat at such a young age.”