Former police detective set to cycle 1,000 miles for cancer charity
A former Detective Sergeant for Horsham Police is gearing up to cycle more than 1,000 miles for a charity which has lost huge amounts of funding due to Covid-19.
Peter West, from Storrington – who went on to work for the National Crime Squad alongside Colombian police to halt shipments of cocaine to the UK – intends to ride from Land’s End to John o’ Groats in July in support of Cancer Research UK.
The 64-year-old said: “I am happy to take on the challenge. I chose Cancer Research as cancer claimed the lives of my mother and father and the majority of their immediate families.
“I am funding all of my expenses for the trip therefore everything that is donated goes direct to Cancer Research UK for their outstanding work.
“Myrideisasoloeffortandis something that I have wanted to do for sometime now. Doing it and raising money for such a good cause seemed like a good idea therefore if you can spare something to help me raise money for this vital research please donate and help to fight this dreadful illness.”
Peter – who now works for the Office for National Statistics – has been training for the ride by cycling most
days, while during bad weather he uses a static bike in his garage.
He has lost two-and-a-half stone since October and is now concentrating on the stamina side of training.
The keen cyclist said: “In summer 1996 I ran/walked the South Downs Way to raise money for a new generator for a barometric chamber for the Multiple Sclerosis Centre in Shoreham. I succeeded
in getting the money they needed for that.
“I used to run but age has caught up with my knees and I can no longer do much of that exercise therefore I started to cycle. I do not have a fancy bike or anything like that, just a hybrid that should be up to the job.
“The route I have chosen is 1,188 miles in length and avoids most main roads.”
Although a solo effort, Peter will be joined by his wife for the overnight stops during the fundraiser which – should there be no restrictions due to the coronavirus – will start on Sunday, July 25.
Peter has set his fundraising page target at £2,376 which works out at £2 per mile, but he isn’t putting much focus on the target and instead is hoping to raise as much as possible.
He said: “One in two of us will get cancer at some time in our lives and the research carried out by Cancer Research and other bodies has changed the situation on diagnosis from what used to be ‘how long have I got to live?’ to survivability for a great number of cancers.
“In the last 40 years the survival rate has doubled, but the organisation has suffered a large down turn in income due to the pandemic.
“In the year 2019/2020 they funded research to the value of £455million, this year their downturn in funding will be up to £150million. Cancer Research had to put all new clinical trials on hold due to this lack of funding.
“If you can afford it please donate and help me to raise as much money as possible for this very worthy cause.”
To donate to Peter’s fundraising cycle, visit https:// fundraise.cancerresearchuk. org/page/peters-givingpage-404?