Saturday 5 June is the 77th anniversary of D-day and to mark this Air Cadet William Avey-Hebditch, 15, from Wimborne, together with his father Dan, will embark on a sponsored challenge to cycle 179 miles in 12 hours as part of the RAFA Rides 2021: Goes Global! Challenge.

Organised by the Royal Air Force Association (RAFA), the distance chosen for the ride equals the 179 miles travelled in Horsa gliders by D Company, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry from Tarrant Rushton airfield in Dorset to Pegasus Bridge in France.

Money raised by the pair of riders will be shared equally between 1069 (Flight Refuelling Wimborne) Air Cadets Squadron and the Wimborne Branch of RAFA.

The Air Cadets’ funding will be used to provide extracurricular education and enrichment to local cadets and Wimborne RAFA will use their funds to support the needs of the wider RAF community.

William said: “Knowing that over the last 14 months the Wimborne Squadron had been denied its usual fund-raising activities, I wanted to do my bit to help as well as to mark the anniversary of D-day and the heroic efforts of the Ox & Bucks Light Infantry at that time.

“I hope that people will recognise the challenge we face and will be willing to sponsor our efforts to fundraise for the local Air Cadets and RAFA. There is a fundraising web site which will remain open after 5 June to which people can make donations at justgiving/WillAH/RAFACYCLECHALLENGE.

Tom Kelly of the Wimborne Branch of RAFA said: “William and his father have set themselves a tough challenge and we are grateful for their fundraising efforts for RAFA.”