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Shipston Cycling Club member raises thousands for charity




Paul Sayer.
Paul Sayer.

CYCLING

A DEDICATED Oxhill cyclist has raised thousands of pounds for charity after riding for more than 200 consecutive days.

Spanning across the spring, summer and autumn, Paul Sayer – a member of Shipston Cycling Club – covered 7,100 miles in achieving the challenge and raised £3,730 in the process.

“This challenge started in the first lockdown when, along with a couple of other Shipston CC members, I set myself the target of riding every day for 50 days,” said Sayer.

“When I passed the 50 day mark the target I was challenged to go for 100, then this became 200 when that milestone was passed.”

Sayer, 64, then seized the opportunity to raise vital funds for Alderminster-based charity Cyclists Fighting Cancer.

“I had seen a few local riders achieving various 2020 targets as part of the CFC #20in20 fundraising campaign, including one rider who did 220 miles in a day. This is what set the 220 day objective in my mind,” added Sayer.

He smashed through his initial target of £500 three-quarters of the way through his challenge.

“I was overwhelmed by the level of support I had, and even raised my fundraising target a couple of times, eventually aiming for £2,020 and I ended up nearly doubling that,” said Sayer.

Reflecting on his 220 days in the saddle, Sayer added: “There’s no doubt the funding pledges kept me going through the difficult days, and various Shipston CC and group rides were essential to keeping my spirits up.

“I went through a tough patch around day 190, getting saddle sores for the first time, but by day 200 I knew it could be finished and the last two weeks seemed effortless.”

Rachel Wignell, fundraiser at Cyclists Fightin Cancer, said “What Paul has achieved for himself and for CFC is absolutely fantastic and we can’t thank him enough.

“Like many charities the current situation has affected us severely and we currently have over 100 outstanding bike applications for children living with cancer, so Paul’s fundraising has come at a really crucial time.

“We are extremely grateful for his support and we hope that he is now having a well-earned rest.”

Anyone wanting to donate to Sayer’s fundraising page can still do so by heading over to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/paul-sayer-220.

When asked if he was tempted to go further than 220 days, Sayer said: “I was being nudged regularly to go for 365 days as I approached the end, but when I woke up on day 221 I knew that I had to stop – at least for a day.”



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