Latest news with #cyclechallenge
BBC News
22-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Neurodivergent students complete 1,000-mile cycle
A boy who completed a 1,000-mile (1,609km) cycle challenge says it shows neurodivergent people are "capable of anything".Lex, who has ADHD and dyslexia, took off from John O'Groats on 19 June to cycle to Land's End with a team of students aged 14-16 from Appleford School in Shrewton school is a specialist centre for children aged seven to 16 with dyslexia and specific learning difficulties such as dyspraxia and dyscalculia."It just shows we can do everything we want to and, as young people, we are entitled to do anything we want to," Lex added. He told BBC Radio Wiltshire the whole challenge was "amazing" but he particularly loved Scotland."Seeing all the mountains and just the landscaping, it's so different to the south coast," he said. The student completed the challenge with 11 other pupils from the who also took part, said he "loved all of it" and was missing getting on his bike every he was tired when the team finished, with his longest day being a 90-mile cycle, Monty said the whole experience was for team member Aubrey, Dartmoor and the "rolling hills" were the highlight."I'm very glad I've been able to do it. The confidence throughout [the team] has risen," she said. Lex's mum, Angela, said the challenge had helped the children "come out of their shells"."Two of them, on speech day, stood up and said what it meant to them and their story."Doing things like this, we've heard their voice for the first time," she said the team's success was "awe-inspiring"."It's absolutely unbelievable what they've achieved. The students want to achieve something and make the most of every opportunity," she added.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sheen school parents' 550km cycle raises £60k for school playground
A 550km cycle challenge has raised £60,000 for a school playground refurbishment. Parents and staff from Sheen Mount Primary School in Richmond cycled from Land's End in Cornwall to London in just three and a half days to raise funds for new outdoor gym equipment and playground resurfacing. Headteacher Tom Holmes was among the 39 parents who took part in the ride, which began on June 26 following months of training. Playground project gets boost as Ride25 finishes with cheers and cowbells (Image: Sheen Mount Primary School) Mr Holmes said: "This is what it means to be part of a school community and myself and the four staff who joined on the ride very much feel part of that. "People have made huge sacrifices in training in the lead-up to the ride and over the four days of the ride to raise vital funds for the school, which will be used for an exciting playground project." The final leg of the journey saw the group joined by an additional 39 parents and three staff members for a 178km ride from Bath to London. The riders arrived at Sheen Mount on Sunday evening to cheers, cowbells, and a community picnic. Cyclists endure heat, injury, and hills to support Sheen Mount pupils (Image: Sheen Mount Primary School) The ride marked the culmination of a year-long fundraising effort to upgrade the playground at the three-form entry primary school. Adam Jones, a parent at the school who organised the ride, said: "When we first suggested this ride we knew it was a huge challenge that would take the whole community to enable the riders to complete. "Riders had to commit to a significant training plan that relied on friends and family to support. "The commitment, tenacity, and capabilities of the riders allowed them to achieve the goals in sweltering conditions. "It was a phenomenal performance from all." Mr Jones, who has children in Year 6 and Year 3, led training rides through Richmond Park, Windsor, and as far as Brighton to prepare for the challenge. Custom jerseys and cowbells mark Sheen Mount's epic fundraising journey (Image: Sheen Mount Primary School) The event was supported by a number of sponsors, including platinum sponsor Swimway, which runs private children's swimming lessons in south west London. Mathnasium Sheen and architecture firm ABL3 also sponsored the ride. All 83 riders wore custom-designed jerseys, and families welcomed them home with cowbells branded with the Sheen Mount 'Ride25' logo. Read more The Very Hungry Caterpillar interactive trail to launch at Ham House Groundbreaking ceremony marks start of £30m redevelopment of Barnes Hospital TV doctor highlights the importance of incoporating exercise in your daily life Donations can still be made at The challenge was not without incident, with one parent rejoining the ride after a hospital visit for a sprained shoulder on the first day. Another father completed the journey to the celebratory picnic in a sling after fracturing his shoulder in a fall on the final day. Despite these setbacks, the group remained determined, and their efforts have put the school on track to raise the full £60,000 needed for the playground improvements.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Yahoo
'As we laid a pennant by his headstone, we reflected on how thankful we should be'
Four men from Bolton on a cycle challenge have reflected on "how thankful we should be" for those who laid down their lives in the First World War. Colin Higham, Kevan Ball and Rob Taylor are in the middle of cycling 634 miles along the Western Front Way this month, with Russell Jones providing support. The trail follows the historic frontline of the First World War, from the French-Swiss border to the beaches of Belgium. The quartet reflected during a poignant moment, stood by the grave of Richard Nelson in the middle of rural France, hundreds of miles away from his home on Lee Lane, Horwich. They said: "We thought this challenge was one of the hardest things we would have ever done, but then we met an English lady in our hostel who was walking from Canterbury to Rome, which put our task into perspective. The lads at the grave of Richard Nelson (Image: Submitted) "Then we thought no matter how tough either challenge was, they pale in comparison to what those lads faced along this front in the First World War. "On Monday we all stood together in a graveyard in the middle of rural France next to the remains of a lad who lives in a butcher's shop at 201 Lee Lane, Horwich, a shop we have all walked past hundreds of times. Read more: Bolton schoolfriends' epic journey to pay tribute to those who died in the Great War Read more: 'Successful' charity music festival set to return to Bolton Read more: Free cat welfare clinic to take place at shopping centre "As we laid a Rivington and Blackrod School pennant by his headstone, we reflected on just how thankful we should be for the lives we now lead." The grave of Richard Nelson (Image: Submitted) The quartet are also raising money for three charities - the Royal British Legion, Children in Need and St Ann's Hospice. To donate, click here: As of Friday, June 16, they have completed 566 miles of the journey and have raised £2,455. For more information on the Western Front Way, visit the Western Front Association's website: The quartet, who will all turn 65 this year, met when they were schoolboys at Rivington and Blackrod School, and will visit the graves of 16 of the 24 young men from their old school who died during the war. Colin Higham was struck by the idea after reading The Path of Peace: Walking the Western Front Way by Anthony Seldon.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
'Fantastic' neurodiverse students cycling 1,000 miles
A group of neurodiverse students are taking on a 1,000 mile (1,609km) cycle challenge from John O'Groats to Lands End. The 12 students, aged between 14 and 16, are from Appleford School in Shrewton, Wiltshire. They live with dyslexia, ADHD, autism or other difficulties and want to complete the challenge to prove they can achieve "extraordinary things". They will be leaving John O'Groats in Scotland on 19 June and aim to cycle between 70 (112km) and 80 miles (128km) a day back down to their final destination in Cornwall. Mark Ball, the school's head of outdoor education, said: "I think something on this sort of scale will remain with these students for a long time, if not for life." More news stories for Wiltshire Listen to the latest news for Wiltshire Mr Ball said many of the students faced "significant education struggles" before they began learning at Appleford. However, he added many of them "thrive" outside, with some students having completed previous long distance physical challenges. Student Freya suggested the challenge to Mr Ball following a cycle from Devizes to Westminster. She said she "loves" a challenge and was most looking forward to getting a suntan on the journey next month. Jess, who is also taking part, said she had not cycled since she was a child. "Since this has started, we go out as a school most weekends... I cycle to school now which is about 20 miles (32km)," she said. "We're going to cycle, stop at a hostel and then carry on in the morning on repeat for 14 days," Jess added. Mr Ball credited the "fantastic" students for their hard work so far. "Their enthusiasm and determination is second to none," he said. "To be able to have the support of the school, to organise something like this and to give the students the opportunity, I'm very, very grateful for that." Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Cyclist who was unable to walk breaks world record Cyclist completes 'dream' ride across the world Family pick up cycling challenge after dad's death Appleford School
BBC News
24-05-2025
- BBC News
Wiltshire neurodiverse students on John O'Groats to Lands End cycle
A group of neurodiverse students are taking on a 1,000 mile (1,609km) cycle challenge from John O'Groats to Lands End. The 12 students, aged between 14 and 16, are from Appleford School in Shrewton, Wiltshire. They live with dyslexia, ADHD, autism or other difficulties and want to complete the challenge to prove they can achieve "extraordinary things".They will be leaving John O'Groats in Scotland on 19 June and aim to cycle between 70 (112km) and 80 miles (128km) a day back down to their final destination in Ball, the school's head of outdoor education, said: "I think something on this sort of scale will remain with these students for a long time, if not for life." Mr Ball said many of the students faced "significant education struggles" before they began learning at Appleford. However, he added many of them "thrive" outside, with some students having completed previous long distance physical challenges. Student Freya suggested the challenge to Mr Ball following a cycle from Devizes to Westminster. She said she "loves" a challenge and was most looking forward to getting a suntan on the journey next month. Jess, who is also taking part, said she had not cycled since she was a child. "Since this has started, we go out as a school most weekends... I cycle to school now which is about 20 miles (32km)," she said. "We're going to cycle, stop at a hostel and then carry on in the morning on repeat for 14 days," Jess added. Mr Ball credited the "fantastic" students for their hard work so far. "Their enthusiasm and determination is second to none," he said. "To be able to have the support of the school, to organise something like this and to give the students the opportunity, I'm very, very grateful for that."
