Fulwood grandad keeps on song on charity ride

John Farnden, 65, had the words of his late son-in-law’s favourite Queen rock song “Don’t Stop Me Now” ringing in his ears, as he powered his way to the Belgian capital and he managed to raise £600 as a result.

John, who celebrates his 66th birthday later this month, had the chart topping hit in his head throughout his epic 300-mile trip.

Since Ric’s death in December 2015 aged just 35 from stomach cancer, John has made the pop classic his fundraising anthem for not only this challenge but for cycles from London to Paris in 2016 and Paris to Geneva in 2017 and a Rosemere Cancer Foundation expedition to the Great Wall of China last year.

John, who made the journey to Brussels and his previous cycles on the trusty bike which had belonged to Ric and which Ric bequeathed to him, said: “I found it hard, but I completed it which was the main thing.”

The cycle took John, who works for the Department of Work and Pensions, from London through Essex to Harwich where he caught the over-night ferry to the Hook of Holland. From there, he pedalled to Amsterdam, the Dutch town of Breda and into Brussels, spending an average of seven hours a day in the saddle.

John, who is married to Jacqueline with whom he has daughters Leonie Clark and Amanda Gill and four grandsons, will give cycling a rest next year to trek on foot in Peru, having signed up to be part of Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s second expedition to follow the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in October 2020.

To support John visit www.justgiving.com/dsmneurocycle – his Just Giving page.

Rosemere Cancer Foundation works to bring world class cancer treatments and services to cancer patients from throughout Lancashire and South Cumbria being treated at Rosemere Cancer Centre, the region’s specialist cancer treatment centre at the Royal Preston Hospital, and at another eight local hospital cancer units across the two counties.

For more on John’s story visit www.lep.co.uk/news/people/fulwood-grandad-set-to-cycle-from-london-to-brussels-for-charity-cause-1-9963664.