53 cyclists raise more than £100k for Bristol’s hospitals

More than 50 cyclists have cycled from Bristol to Paris – raising more than £119,000 for Bristol’s hospitals.

The annual challenge was raising money for Above & Beyond, the charity for University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.

A total of 53 cyclists took on the challenge this year, cycling 470km from Bristol to the centre of Paris.

Together they have raised £119,000 – and counting – for Bristol’s hospitals.

Many of the cyclists taking part have a personal connection to the hospitals, including Tracey Arthur, a nurse at Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre (BHOC), and Simon Law, a former Bristol Heart Institute (BHI) patient.

There was also a team of riders from Bristol Royal Hospital for Children (BRHC), as well as teams from businesses including Brean Sands Holiday Resort and Coventry Building Society.

Phil Segar, consultant anaesthetist at BRHC, said: “I was quite daunted by the thought of cycling so far in four days - I wasn’t sure my legs or my derrière would cope, but Above & Beyond is such a great cause that I decided to toughen up and join four of my colleagues on the event.

“The funds I’ve raised for Above & Beyond will go to projects at the children’s hospital where I have been an anaesthetist for 16 years.

“I look forward to seeing what projects, large and small, that Above & Beyond’s Bristol to Paris Challenge 2019 will make possible.”

This year is the fifth anniversary of the Bristol to Paris Cycle Challenge.

The money raised from the challenge will go towards ensuring the UH Bristol sites have the best equipment and modern and friendly environments.

It also supports NHS staff in their training and development and ensure ground-breaking research can continue at the hospitals.

Patrick Browne, head of supporter engagement at Above & Beyond, said: “I want to say a big thank you to all the amazing cyclists who took on this challenge to raise money for Above & Beyond.

“It’s an incredible event and the money raised will make a real difference to patient care at our hospitals here in Bristol.”

To donate to this year’s cyclists, go to: https://everydayhero.co.uk/event/b2p2019.