Ride2Recovery is a gruelling charity cycle challenge which sees 50 riders tackling 850km, including over 18,000m of climbing, coast to coast through the Pyrenees over a period of 6 days from Sunday 21^st June.  The ride is being held to raise funds for Aspire and this year for the first time Aspire’s CEO Brian Carlin is also taking part in the challenge.

On Friday 5^th June, a fundraising dinner was held at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.  230 guests enjoyed a 3 course meal and fabulous entertainment from The Talent.  Following the dinner, the original target of £75,000 was surpassed and so they have now raised their target to £100,000.

About Ride2Recovery

This is the third Ride2Recovery challenge that has been held to support Aspire and other charities.  Will Hemsley and Nick McClelland came up with the idea of Ride2Recovery, and in 2009 the group raised £100,000 by cycling from London to the French Alps to raise funds to help support spinal injury charities and Oli Hemsley, a young Arts student who had suffered a brutal knife attack in London, losing much movement below the shoulders as a result of his injuries.  This was followed up in 2012 when 24 cyclists tackled the Alps, cycling from Morzine to Nice raising £80,000 for charity.

Nick McClelland, Ride2Recovery, comments: “When we started Ride2Recovery in 2008, we had no idea how much it would capture people’s imagination.  We wanted to turn something that was incredibly devastating for the Hemsley family into some good.  We have been amazed by the number of people willing to take part and put their bodies through an incredible amount of pain for a great cause.  Equally we are still astounded by people’s generosity when they understand how hard the challenge is for those taking part.  Aspire has been a huge support to both the Hemsley family and the event itself, and we are proud to continue our support in 2015 with our hardest challenge yet through the Pyrenees”

Brian Carlin, CEO of Aspire, comments: “Every eight hours someone is paralysed by a spinal cord injury; it can happen to anyone at any time and no one is prepared for how it will change their life.  The funds that the Ride2Recovery cyclists have raised over the years have gone towards helping spinal cord injured people move from injury to independence and we are honoured that they are taking on yet another challenging cycle ride for Aspire this year.  I wanted to show them my support and, as an avid cyclist myself, I thought that the only way to do that would be for me to join them in their arduous ride across the Pyrenees.”

To sponsor Ride2Recovery:                     https://www.justgiving.com/ride2recovery3/

For full details about Ride2Recovery:   http://www.ride2recovery.org/

Follow Ride2Recovery on Twitter:        @Ride2Recovery

  

Cyclists fundraising with Aspire who are looking to insure their bikes can make use of a 10% discount with Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance. A discount code is available from the event organiser.