Cyclists go the distance for good causes (From The Oxford Times)

Cyclists go the distance for good causes

2:10pm Sunday 29th January 2012 in News By Rhianne Pope

CYCLISTS from Oxfordshire will be pedalling the length and breadth of Britain to raise thousands of pounds for good causes.

For friends Jason Dudley, Karl Jones, Damian Robertson and Ryan Drackett their bike marathon will be the third they have undertaken.

In previous years they raised £1,000 for East Oxford hospice Helen & Douglas House and £500 for the Oxford Association for the Blind.

They hope to raise more than £4,000 this time around for the Thames Valley Adventure Playground (TVAP).

Meanwhile, Thomas Richards, 25, is hoping to raise £10,000 for Help for Heroes.

Mr Richards, from Witney,will cycle 986 miles from Cape Wrath in north west Scotland to Land’s End over nine days at the beginning of March.

The four-man team is also starting out from Cape Wrath, the UK’s most north-westerly point, but heading for Dover – the UK’s most south-easterly point.

Mr Dudley, 22, from Abingdon, said: “Karl and I came up with the idea when we were sat in a pub.

“We just said ‘let’s do another bike ride’ and here we are.”

In August 2009, Mr Dudley cycled with Mr Jones from John O’Groats to Land’s End for Helen & Douglas House.

And this month, he walked the West Highland Way in snow with Mr Robertson.

The journey this time begins on March 28 and covers 1,000 miles over 12 days taking in the islands of Skye, Mull and Arran.

Mr Dudley, an NHS forensic support worker, said: “It’s been a bit difficult to train at the moment because it’s hard to get the four of us together.

“But we’ll get there.”

TVAP is a charity supporting people with learning or physical disabilities across the South East.

Donations manager Nicky Hutchinson said: “We cannot tell you what a difference the help of Jason, Karl, Damian and Ryan will make to all our users for whom the playground is such a lifetime.”

For more information visit capewrathtodover2012.moonfruit.com.

Mr Richards said: “I wanted to join the Army but could not for medical reasons – I injured my knee in a bike accident when I was younger.

“The armed forces have always been part of my life – my dad and uncle were in the forces – and I want to help injured servicemen.

“It is going to be tough, hard and painful but it will be worth it.”

• To donate money for the TVAP team, visit justgiving. com/capewrathtodoverjandk

• To support Mr Richards’ Help for Heroes ride, see bmycharity.com/ thomasrichards