Friend to ride dad’s bike in Velothon race

THOUSANDS of cyclists are set to take to the streets of South Wales tomorrow for the annual Velothon race, but for one Cardiff widow the event will be particularly emotional.

Just weeks before Christmas 2015, Anna-Louise Bates’ husband Stuart and their young son Fraser were killed when they were hit by a car as they crossed a road in Talbot Green.

Stuart – a keen cyclist who rode over Caerphilly mountain every day on his way to work – had taken part in the first Velothon race months before the accident.

Now, his bike will be ridden in the 140km race by Anna-Louise’s fundraising friend Mark Lewis Jones, one of the stars of Stella and Keeping Faith.

Anna-Louise, who set up the charity Believe – Organ Donor Support to raise awareness about organ donation, said: “It’s going to be very emotional, but I know it’s what he would have wanted me to do.

“Mark is upgrading parts of his bike and I know he would be chuffed with that.

“He wouldn’t want the bike to just be hanging up not being used.

“It’s going to be really emotional but it’s going to keep his memory alive. I’ll be cheering Mark on at the end and we’ll have the Believe bear mascots there as well.

“Mark will be raising money for Believe and other charities which is fantastic.”

When Anna-Louise was given the devastating news that her son Fraser was not going to survive his injuries, she made the tough decision to donate the youngster’s organs.

That decision helped save four lives. Donating Fraser’s organs inspired her to set up the charity, which has since become a huge success.

Believe has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds and is a registered Welsh charity.

Tomorrow’s race will be the first time Mark Lewis Jones has taken part in competitive cycling but he said it was a “real pleasure” to be using Stuart’s bike.

“I’m doing this for Believe and I’m doing this for Marie Curie and for Bloodwise,” he said.

“It’s a real pleasure to be doing this on this bike.

“It’s really brought a whole new thing to this venture the fact we’re doing this on Stuey’s bike.

“I’ll be whooping the whole way and I’ll be doing a lot of whooping for him and Fraser.”

www.believe-ods.org.uk

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