Nurse starts 300-mile ride to WWI battlefield
A BRIDGEND nurse who took up cycling two years ago to lose weight is facing the challenge of biking more than 300 miles in four days while commemorating World War One.
And when she returns home, Clare Edmonds is determined to get other women in the saddle by leading free rides around the Bridgend area as part of the HSBC Breeze programme.
Clare, 45, has just qualified as a Breeze Champion, part of a UK-wide scheme which encourages women and girls to cycle for fun and fitness.
She says she discovered the full benefits and joy of cycling when she took up the pastime with husband Russtin in 2015, and has lost almost two stone in weight since then.
She is joining the Ride the Somme in France on Wednesday, August 30, using her nursing skills as one of the two-wheeled first-aiders.
The event commemorates the cycling soldiers who fought and fell along the Western Front, raising money for the armed forces charity SSAFA which supports past and present military personnel.
Grandmother Clare is relishing the test of her cycling stamina, as she has not covered the distance in such a short time before.
“I have ridden 100 miles over a week before, but I haven’t done 80 miles straight off,” she said.
“After the first day, the biggest challenge will be getting on the bike the next day, and the days after that,” she added.
She was inspired to take part in the fundraiser in memory of her late grandmother Jean Macphail, who served in the Women’s Royal Naval Service. Clare has a target of £1,500 to raise for the charity.
Clare is enthusiastic about encouraging more women to adopt her nan’s active spirit by joining free bike rides for female beginner and intermediate riders around Bridgend and Porthcawl.
“It’s about getting people like me to get on their bikes to enjoy the scenery and benefit from the social, mental and wellbeing aspects of cycling,” Clare said.
After returning from the Somme, Clare aims to lead a Breeze ride every week on Saturdays or Sundays.
Riders can find out more about the Breeze programme online at letsride.co.uk/breeze.
Clare fundraising page is at: justgiving. com/fundraising/clareedmondscaddy