Help for Heroes: Big Battlefield Bike Ride: finale
Richard Leaver has just completed an epic bike ride for the Headley Court tri-service rehabilitation centre. I reproduce part of his email here, which may well inspire you to do something similar.
Well my 299 compatriots and I made it back last night, Sunday 1 June, after 360 punishing miles around Northern France, averaging 75 miles by bike a day and having raised as a group over £1.5m for the Headley Court tri-service rehabilitation centre.
Personally, thanks to yourselves, I have raised over £6,000 and this is still rising. Last Monday we cycled from HMS Victory and a Red Arrows salute, to the ferry, overnight to Caen & Pegasus Bridge for a memorial service. On to Le Havre, St Valery-en-Caux, Dieppe, Amiens, Bethune and finally to Dunkirk for a beach "evacuation" by four Royal Marine Commando Landing Craft onto the Royal Navy ship HMS Bulwark before being taken by Landing Craft to Dover beach and a display by the Paras Red Devils parachute team. The last day was a cycle into the Cenotaph in Whitehall for a very moving wreath laying ceremony and an address by Defence Chief General Sir Richard Dannatt at Horseguards Parade.
I have been humbled by the strength and courage of the disabled soldiers who easily outpaced us on the toughest hills and accompanied by serving mates from the Royal Armoured Corps, Royal Marines, The Rifles and many many more regiments. The camaraderie of all the riders, civilian, military and ex-military, all with stories to tell and personal determination which defies my ability to convey on this email.
One disabled soldier cycled by hand up inclines you would not believe, with climate changes varying from incredibly hot to drenching rain and freezing wind chill across Somme fields.
The Sun prominently reported the event and its Page 3 Girl, the lovely Peta Todd cycled mile after long mile alongside us every step of the way, smiling and inspiring, on the trip in her own time and not for the Sun, helping soldiers she had brought light to in visits to Headley Court, visited low key simply because she wanted to help.
Please take the time to view the video gallery on this link http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/gallery/hhhbr_gallery.html
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