28-04-2025
Walshaw man swaps stag do for 170-mile charity bike ride for BackUp North West
Scott Cunningham, 47, will cycle from Morecambe to Bridlington next month to raise funds for Bolton's Backup North West, a homeless charity supporting 16-25 year olds where his fiancé works as a Fundraising Co-ordinator. (Image: Claire Bullock)
A man from Walshaw is riding more than 170 miles to raise money for a Bolton charity for his stag do.
Scott Cunningham, 47, will be riding from Morecambe to Bridlington next month alongside his best man and long-time friend to raise money for homeless charity, BackUp North West.
He is due to marry his fiancée of five years, Claire Bullock, 46, in July.
Claire works as a co-ordinator for the award-winning BackUp charity based in Bolton.
Claire and Scott have been together for five years. (Image: Claire Bullock) Speaking to The Bolton News, Scott said: 'Ultimately, the bike ride will be my stag do!
ADVERTISEMENT
'I didn't want to go for the traditional weekend abroad, I knew I wanted to do something different.
"My friend suggested riding to Bridlington and I thought it was a great idea."
The ambitious journey follows the "Way of the Roses" route, spanning approximately 172 miles, which Scott plans to complete in three days starting Friday, May 23.
He will be accompanied by his best man Gordon Hamilton and long-time friend Neil Wood.
READ MORE:
Royal Bolton Hospital to get sleeper chairs for parents
Scott added: 'With Claire being a co-ordinator, we were talking about doing the route and she suggested raising money for the BackUp charity.
"It fit so well together, that's how the idea happened.
ADVERTISEMENT
'We've been training, we're reasonably fit. We rode from Rhyl to Llandudno and back the other week.
"We're not regular bikers, but we both used to go a lot of running and got into triathlons."
'I'm not particularly nervous, we've done a couple of events like this before. We actually did a double marathon in the Sahara in Africa in 2017 raising money for the Support Josh charity.
Left to right: Neil Wood, Gordon Hamilton and Scott Cunningham will be cycling 172 miles. (Image: Claire Bullock)
Claire added: 'Scott and I have been together for five years, we actually met in 2020 and had our first date at the Red Lion!
'He's done lots of running, so I know he'll absolutely smash this challenge. The fact that he's raising money for BackUp means so much to me.
'I know he'll be absolutely amazing.'
ADVERTISEMENT
Backup North West is an award-winning charity established in 1992 delivering supported accommodation and emergency housing for young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless in the North West.
Backup support around 350 young people each year with not just safe accommodation, but tailored packages of support which include emotional and practical help with all areas of independent living.
