Cyclists, aged 7 to 77, raise money for key workers

Cyclists in Diss, young and old, used the warm weekend to pull off extraordinary feats in an effort to raise money for local causes during the country’s battle against coronavirus.

The diversity of the fundraisers was best exemplified by two cyclists: seven-year-old Amelia Hawkes, and 77-year-old Mike Bowen, who between them managed to raised almost £2,000 from their own respective challenges.

Stradbroke Primary School pupil Amelia completed her 10km cycle rise from her home in Ash Plough, Stradbroke, to Ashfield Green and back, as donors who happened to live en-route came to their front gardens to cheer her on with bells and whistles.

With her mum, Emma Baker travelling behind her, she managed to complete the round trip in around 50 minutes, raising £820 for NHS Charities Together in the process.

Miss Baker, 31, who works as a duty manager at Stradbroke Swimming Pool, said: “I’m so proud of her, mostly because it was her idea to do it in the first place – she had just been asking for a week if she could do something to help out.

“Because we put it on Facebook, there were loads of people supporting and cheering her on. She’s very excited from it all and really pleased with it all.”

Amelia added: “It was hard, because it was a really long way to cycle, but I’m really proud of myself.”

To donate to Amila's cause, click here.

At the same time, 10 miles away in Wortham, 77-year-old Mike Bowen was completing 46 laps of a purpose-built cycling course he had made in his back garden, before embarking on a 26km ride from his home in Union Lane to Hopton Primary School and back the very next day.

Mr Bowen cited Captain Tom Moore as the inspiration behind his efforts, which raised more then £1,000 for St Nicholas Hospice Care.

He said: “I thought that if a 99-year-old cancer survivor with a recovering broken hip can do that, then what can I do.

“I have had both hips replaced and have various aliments that befall many of us as we age, and which I am receiving treatment for, but I’m able to get out regularly to exercise my hips by cycling.

“It was time for me to support St Nicholas Hospice Care again – it provides wonderful end-of-life care – and this felt like a suitable occasion.”

To donate to Mr Bowen's cause, click here.