Intrepid team cycle from London to Paris in aid of Lancaster hospice

Over four days the group cycled through howling winds and driving rain to raise nearly £15,000 for St John’s – all driven by personal reasons to support their local hospice.

On the day of departure some of the team, including Malcolm Turner – whose daughter Charlotte Baxendale is a Sister for the Hospice at Home team – went to the hospice ward to meet a patient who wanted to wave them off, and on their return they went back to see him to share some photographs of their incredible trip.

Their journey started in the spring when individuals signed up for the inaugural London to Paris challenge and they quickly became part of a group that trained together and became firm friends.

The first day saw the group cycle through London to Dover, where they got a little rest on the ferry over to Calais after a very wet and windy 95 miles!

Day two was spent on French soil cycling 85 miles from Calais to Abbeville in brutal headwind and heavy rain all the way to the hotel.

Day three was another 98 miles of cycling, knowing that this was their last push before the final day!

After four hard days of cycling in testing weather the time had finally come, the moment they had all been focusing on, the finish that they had been imagining for the last few months: the Eiffel Tower was in sight.

They had made it, tired and sore but very elated!

One of the cyclists, Stephen Kane from Lancaster, said: “When I went to St John’s it was a real eye-opener; all my fears went out of the window when I saw how comfortable it was and heard about all the different patient services on offer.

“My dad liked it there, especially the gardens, so I often took him into the gardens in his wheelchair.

“You don’t know what St John’s does until you need it, it’s a vital part of our local community and I can’t thank the staff and volunteers enough.