David gets on his bike to Paris for Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice

David Hemmings, a timber merchant, decided to combine his love of cycling with a physical and mental challenge to raise money for the Hospice that cared for his fiancée’s mother six years ago.

His four-day 500 km charity cycle ride gets underway on Wednesday 26 May from Crystal Palace National Sports Centre and will culminate at the Champs-Elysees on Saturday 29 May. The route will take him through some beautiful English villages and into the stunning countryside of rural France passing historical landmarks and famous battlefields from World War I until he reaches Paris, undoubtedly one of the most magical places on earth. The event is a fundraiser and not a race, so has been split into four stages in order to make the 500 km a bit less daunting. David said: “I’ve been meaning to do something for quite some time to thank Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice for the excellent support they gave to my fiancée at that most difficult time. The London to Paris bike ride looked like just the ticket to combine my love of cycling with a decent enough challenge to raise money for this most worthy cause.”

David added: “I have elected to pay all the costs involved with the bike ride myself which means every penny I receive in sponsorship will go directly to the Hospice. I’ve already raised £1900 in sponsorship but I hope to raise £5000.”

Kate Heaps, Chief Executive at the Hospice, said: “We are really grateful to David for riding this challenge for the Hospice. It is amazing the things that people will do to show their thanks and support to the staff and volunteers. The money that David raises will help us to continue to provide quality care for people at the end of life. £5000 funds the full monthly costs of running our day care services, which can support up to 360 patients each month. Good luck to David on succeeding with his target.”

Anyone wishing to sponsor David can do so by visiting his fundraising page at http://www.justgiving.com/davehemm