Fundraisers Paul and James Heaton with their family.
A pair of cycling siblings have raised an impressive £7,240 for charity -including £2,800 for the Royal Bournemouth Hospital (RBH) – by completing a gruelling 1,150 mile bike ride.
Paul and James Heaton took 12 days to travel through the Pyrenees and up to 2,000m above sea level, across France to Calais and finally through southern England over the South Downs to Bournemouth – their home town. A host of supporters including family and friends were waiting for them at the finish line at Bournemouth Pier.
Over £2,800 of the money raised is being donated to the GI Cancer Oncology Fund at RBH in memory of Paul’s father-in-law, Peter Loveless, who was treated and cared for at the hospital.
Paul said: “Peter was such a strong, determined person and thinking of him really inspired me at some extremely tough parts of the journey. A lot of people are facing a difficult fight against cancer every day and we have witnessed firsthand how hard this can be. Hopefully the money we raised will help in this ongoing fight.
“We are over the moon with the amount of money we have been able to raise for the three amazing causes that are all very close to our hearts.”
Paul Shelton, General Manager for Cancer Services, said: “Every donation that goes into fighting cancer is helping in a fight which affects so many people. £2,800 is a fantastic amount to raise and will make a real difference.
“We are extremely thankful to Paul and James and admire their grit and determination in completing a very challenging journey. Hopefully they will inspire others to take up challenges to raise money for charity.”
The other charities benefiting from the ride are Brain Tumour Research and the RAF Benevolent Fund.
Bournemouth Hospital Charity aims to raise £2m each year to support the patient experience above and beyond what the NHS can provide. Donations to the charity provide the funding for much needed equipment and resources
