Fab four raise nearly £10,000 for Lymington’s Oakhaven Hospice cycling the North Coast 500 round the Scottish Highlands

FOUR friends cycled the North Coast 500 which features over 10,000 metres of mountains to raise almost £10,000 for Oakhaven Hospice.

Calling themselves the ‘Scottish Spinners’ the fab four - Charlie Ryde, Ben Kirby, Aaron Kew and Jordan Mann - spent five days undertaking the gruelling route.

Described as one of the most “beautiful” road trips in the UK it features stunning coastal scenery, rugged mountains and remote fishing villages.

Regarded as a challenge even for endurance cyclists it starts and ends in Inverness Castle and runs through Inverness-shire, Ross and Cromarty, Sutherland and Caithness in the Scottish Highlands.

But the four pals did not even own bikes before on the marathon ride.

But they bravely decided to undertake one of the arduous cycle routes anyway. But they may have been regretting their decision when day two proving to be especially taxing with a cog breaking on Charlie’s cycle meaning he only had the highest gears to use as he rode the hilliest part of the course over the remaining days.

An exploding pump saw Aran and Ben riding three miles back along the route to fix a tyre resulting in them not finishing that day’s ride until one am in the morning.

Rations running low meant the duo only had a jar of peanut butter to keep them going over the last 20 miles of the day.

Determined to keep going the boys completed the challenge in their determined time of five days raising nearly £10,000 for the hospice.

Jill West, community fundraising Manager at Oakhaven Hospice, said, “We would like to thank Charlie, Ben, Aaron and Jordan for taking on this impressive challenge in support of Oakhaven – and everyone who donated and supported them, keeping them going during their epic journey.

“All the funds raised will make a real difference to people facing life-limiting illnesses. Your generosity and kindness have helped Oakhaven Hospice to continue providing vital care and specialist support to patients and their families.”

Since 1992 the highly regarded Oakhaven Hospice in Lymington, Hampshire, has offered palliative care to patients, carers and families across the New Forest and Waterside who are facing complex physical, emotional and practical difficulties surrounding end-of-life. Making every moment matter: whether at home, in hospital or in the hospice itself the emphasis is on the quality of care. “It’s not the years in your life but the life in your years!”

Now also incorporating Totton, Oakhaven provides specialist medical and nursing care; counselling and bereavement services; physiotherapy, complementary therapies, education and training and a wealth of social, health and wellbeing support.

With statutory income providing only 11% of annual running costs, 89% must be raised by the Hospice. This is achieved by donations, fundraising events and activities, charity shops, gifts in wills, lottery, investments and the social enterprise company Oakhaven Care Ltd.