Winchester siblings Teddy and Sophie Ridley set off on their bikes from Land’s End last week along with two friends, Freddie Krone and Phoebe Langton-Hewer. The foursome plan to pedal the 1400km to John O’Groats within two weeks whilst raising vital funds for Winchester Churches Nightshelter.
This is not the first time that Teddy and Freddie, age 18, have teamed up to cycle for a good cause. When they were just 13 years old, the duo cycled 156 miles from Winchester Cathedral to Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris to deliver a letter of goodwill and raise money for CLIC Sargent Cancer Charity. Then last year, they spent five hours cycling up Beacon Hill near Exton to raise funds for the construction of a hospice in India which they later visited and helped with the build.
Teddy, who has just completed his studies at Winchester College, commented on their latest challenge:
“We wanted to challenge ourselves mentally and physically whilst raising money for a great charity which is such an important part of our local community. They work tirelessly to provide a safe and caring temporary home for individuals experiencing homelessness. Sadly, like many charities, it has suffered greatly as a result of the pandemic. We would therefore like to do everything we can to try and raise as much as possible for such a great cause.”
This week the foursome will be cycling through the Wye Valley and Malvern Hills on their way to Manchester. Their carefully planned route has strict milestones as Teddy needs to be back in time to begin University later this month.
Michèle Price, Chief Executive of the Nightshelter commented: “We are so impressed by the commitment and determination of these individuals. Cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats takes great mental and physical strength. The last few months have brought challenges for our charity and the money the cyclists are raising will really help to support our vital work especially whilst we are open all day as well as all night for our residents.”
You can keep track of the cyclists’ progress and support them via their JustGiving page.
