Father and son in charity effort for Pilgrims Hospice

Paul and Alfie complete 50-mile challenge

A father and son have raised more than £700 for the Pilgrims Hospice which cared for two members of their family.

Paul Maxted and his 16-yearold son Alfie, who are both from Ashford, cycled 50 miles around east Kent earlier this year to support the good cause.

Their efforts came shortly after the family suffered a double loss – Paul’s dad Robert Maxted died in June and his fatherin-law Roger Bent passed away the next month.

Both ‘Bob’ and ‘Rog’ were cared for by the hospice in the final days of their terminal illnesses.

Paul said: “Following long battles with terminal illnesses, we lost my father to cancer and Rog to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) within three weeks of each other. It was devastating, to say the least.

“The most painful part was watching them both succumb to these terrible illnesses as my

wife and I provided care and support. We were lucky to have two such wonderful, loving and inspirational role models in our lives, and we gain some comfort in knowing we carry them in our hearts and thoughts for eternity.

“Pilgrims cared for my dad and Rog both on the hospice ward and at home at the end of their lives. They were superb, providing equipment, personal care and support to them and our family.”

To say thank you for their care, Paul and Alfie decided to take on the Pilgrims Hospices Cycle Challenge in August.

Paul said: “I’m a keen footballer

and runner but cycling isn’t my choice of activity. So this was a real challenge for me, and my rear end. I’m so grateful for the support we’ve received from family and friends, any donation, no matter how big or small, is hugely appreciated.

“Pilgrims made a very sad time easier for both my dad and Rog during their battles, giving us as a family a small piece of comfort knowing that they did not suffer. We want to support Pilgrims so more people can receive the level of empathy and care we did.”

To donate, visit bit. ly/3q12y4r

Paul Maxted and his son Alfie raised more than £700 for the Pilgrims Hospice; the pair’s JustGiving page remains open for donations

Both Roger Bent, left, and Bob Maxted were cared for by the hospice in the final days of their terminal illnesses