Great-grandad has inspired me to cycle
IT HAS been 100 years since the Battle of Passchendaele and members from the Southport Hesketh Round Table are cycling 100 miles to commemorate the anniversary.
They hope to raise £1,917 for the Royal British Legion in memory of the people who fought and lost their lives during the WWI battle, and are now more than half way to meeting their target.
The team are cycling from the Monument in Southport town centre to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire and aim to do this over two days, just in time for the Remembrance Service held at the Arboretum at 11am on September 24.
Dean Wilson, chairman of Southport Hesketh Round Table, has organised the bike ride as part of his Chairman’s Challenge and said he chose to do so in memory of his great-grandfather.
He said: “I found out that my greatgrandad fought in the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Passchendaele. He did amazingly to survive one of these battles, let alone both.
“I want the bike ride to be my tribute to him.”
The route they are taking is 111 miles and Dean, 46, explained that he only bought a bike a month ago.
“I have done a lot of training in the past three to four weeks. The other day I managed to do 50 miles and it almost killed me!
“We are hoping to cycle 80 miles in the first day, stop over and then do the last 30 miles the day after. It will be fun, but it’s going to be a challenge.”
Dean will be doing the bike ride with his colleagues, vice-chairman Dan Hubbard and treasurer Chris Green.
They will start at 8am next Friday (September 22) and a number of members from the Round Table will see them off.
Dean said: “None of us are really cyclists but we chose to cycle because it sounded better than running!”
Southport Hesketh Round Table put on many charity events throughout the year including the annual rand Bonfire and Fireworks Display in Victoria Park, the Mad Dog 10k Race and the Santa Sleigh that goes around the town in the run-up to Christmas.
All of their events raise money for local charities and they have just donated £8,000 to good local causes.
You can show your support for their bike ride and donate on their Just Giving page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ 100milestomark100years