Wheels for meals by pedal power

Neighbours and pals from Lismore are getting on their bikes to feed funds to two meal-providing charities more than 7,000 miles apart.

This weekend island crofter Arthur Cross and his pals will be cycling 100 miles for Dalmally-based Mary’s Meals and Oban’s Hope Kitchen.

Arthur and his friends from Lismore will cycle from the island over to Port Appin, up to the Corran Ferry and down to Ardnamurchan where they will camp overnight.

The following day their route will take them to Kilchoan via Ardnamurchan Point to take the ferry to Tobermory, cycling down to Craignure just in time to catch the ferry to Oban and then another across the water to home.

So far the keen cyclists have raised hundreds of pounds towards their £1,000 target. Donations can be made on their Gofundme page by searching gofundme.com/f/ b2m9c6-miles-for-meals

Despite Covid-19, Mary’s Meals has continued to provide life-changing meals to more than 1.6 million hungry children, whether they are learning at home or returning to the classroom.

In Oban, Hope Kitchen has remained a lifeline to many in the community particularly

Lismore’s Sarah Campbell, Amy Bowman, Yorrick Paine and Ruben CampbellPaine get ready for their 100-mile charity ride.

during lockdown. Arthur is no stranger to wheeling his way round – in 2010 he was part of a team that cycled round Scotland for Christian Aid.

It managed to reach £5,000 and was topped up to £20,000 from the EU to help ease suffering in Western Africa from the effects of climate change.

‘Both the charities we are supporting provide meals and help for people in different ways.

‘Mary’s

Meals encourages youngsters to get to school by giving them a daily meal in the poorest parts of Africa; they do incredible work.

‘Much closer to home, Hope Kitchen provides meals and also social support to people who are hard-up and vulnerable and struggling to make ends meet.

‘I think it’s a fantastic place,’ said Arthur.

And he added: ‘We know this is a difficult time for people to be asked to part with their money.

‘People are on furlough, others have lost their jobs but there are a lot of people who are feeling tough times a lot more than us right now. We hope people will feel able to show their support.

‘It would be good to meet people on our way round the route not just to raise funds but also to spread the word wider about the work of these two remarkable charities.’