Cyclists in saddle for 230-mile challenge (From The Oxford Times)

Cyclists in saddle for 230-mile challenge

5:00pm Friday 14th September 2012 in News

NINE cyclists are hoping to turn pedal power into pounds for two dementia charities by taking on a 230-mile challenge.

The group – a determined team of customers from the Strickland Arms in Ducklington – set off yesterday from Ashburton in Devon and are expected to finish at the pub tomorrow.

Organiser Alex Fallon, landlady of the pub in Witney Road, said they hoped to visit places along the route in an order so the first letters of the place names will spell the word ‘Alzheimer’s.’ The group decided to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society and Young Dementia UK in honour of Richard Dunstan, who was the pub’s darts captain in 2000.

Mr Dunstan died in January aged 61, having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at 54.

Ms Fallon said: “We decided to fundraise because Richard meant so much to the people in the village. “I didn’t know him but I do know his children.

“Alzheimer’s doesn’t just affect the people who have the disease, it affects the family too.”

She added that she had other friends in the village who had also been affected by the disease.

The oldest cyclist in the group is 69 years old and the youngest is 13, and they are hoping to raise £10,000 to be split evenly between the two charities.

The group has already raised £3,000 by holding a charity night at the pub.

Sponsor the team by visiting

www.gofundme.com/thestricklandcycleride