On Wednesday, September 20th, AJW hosted a charity bike ride, kicking off from the Chatteris depot. We had a group of 5 completing the challenge this year three from AJW, Dave Weare, Donald Goldsworthy-Ellson, Kevin Patrick and two additions who were friends of Raye. They started their journey promptly at 7:00 AM, gearing up to tackle a challenging 100-mile course on their trusty pedal bikes.

In the lead-up to the event, all three members of the AJW cycling team prepared by gradually increasing their cycling distances, often riding up to 30 miles at a time to boost their stamina.

The route was meticulously planned well in advance, beginning in Chatteris and meandering down to Somersham before circling back to Warboys. From there, the journey continued, leading them up through March, where a quick pit stop awaited to refuel and reenergize the intrepid cyclists.

Shortly after, the AJW team hit the road again, disappearing from view until they finally arrived at the midway point in Swaffham for a well-deserved lunch break. By around 12:30 PM, the guys had reached their destination and eagerly dug into Swaffham’s delicious White Hart sandwiches, chips and omelettes accompanied by steaming cups of coffee.

At around 1:30 PM, our intrepid adventurers embarked on the final leg of their journey, facing the daunting task of conquering the remaining 35 miles. But little did they know, nature had a few surprises in store for them! Shortly after lunch, a deluge of rain and a fierce gusty wind swept in, adding an unexpected twist to their adventure. In no time, the team had to make an impromptu pit stop to don their trusty wet weather gear.

As they pressed on, the route continued to present its fair share of challenges, especially in sections where speeding cars and massive lorries whizzed by on the fast roads. The collective sigh of relief was audible when the cyclists transitioned to smaller, quieter roads, eventually leading them back to the Chatteris depot. It was a satisfying conclusion to a day that had commenced just 9 hours and 25 minutes earlier.

Their triumphant journey covered a remarkable 105 miles, and the team’s achievement was nothing short of extraordinary. They truly proved their mettle in this adventure!

I think it is safe to say that we at AJW are incredibly proud of our cyclists for taking on such a challenge and coming through for our Charity of the Year 2023! Because of their passion and hard work we have so far been able to raise an amazing  – bringing our current total amount raised to a mind blowing £13,402.83 !

We cannot thank everyone enough for your kindness and generosity in helping us to support East Anglian Air Ambulance.

There’s still time to donate, so if you would like to contribute to this amazing charity and the work they do please visit our giving back page.