John Norman, who coaches our Wanderers U11s, starts on a marathon cycling challenge today (Wednesday) – and it’s all for a worthy cause.
Along with friends Tom Thorpe and Jonathan Jorge, he has set off this morning to ride more than 300 miles from London to Paris in aid of Love Musgrove, the charity which supports Musgrove Park Hospital.
The trio are fundraising to support the creation of a new bereavement suite in the Children’s Unit at Musgrove, helping provide families with a private and compassionate space during the most difficult of times.
They have already raised more than £5,000 and are hoping to boost that total during the challenge which is the culmination of months of training.
It’s made even more remarkable by the fact that both Tom and Jonathan had never ridden a road bike until just four months ago.
Since then, the three friends have put in countless hours of preparation to ensure they are ready for the demanding journey.
Adding to the challenge, temperatures of more than 30C are forecast throughout the ride, testing both their endurance and determination as they make their way across England and France.
Before setting off, the cyclists expressed their gratitude to everyone who has supported the fundraising effort.
“We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has donated and shared our Facebook page. Your support has been incredible and has helped motivate us every step of the way.”
They also extended a special thank you to their sponsors, TDA Total Dairy Automation, Conway Cladding Ltd, and JSC Financial, whose generous backing has helped make the charity challenge possible.
They are hoping to reach their destination on Saturday and you can donate to their effort by CLICKING HERE.
ABOVE: John is pictured, right, with Tom and Jonathan.
BELOW: The trio are pictured before leaving Wellington for London.
