THREE Fermanagh cycling enthusiasts are hoping to raise around £5,000 for two cancer charities after holding an exhausting cycle challenge between the west’s two acute hospitals at the weekend.
Around 30 cyclists of all abilities, mostly from Fermanagh, set off from the South West Acute Hospital, outside Enniskillen, on Sunday morning and pedalled nearly 60 miles to Altnagelvin hospital in Londonderry.
A smaller group made the return journey on Bank Holiday Monday, following an overnight stay in the city’s Waterfoot Hotel.
Money raised by the event will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support and Friends of the Cancer Centre, both charities which help local families affected by cancer.
The charity cycle was the brainchild of Fermanagh cancer survivor, Neil McLoughlin, who runs Cycleback in Arney.
Mr. McLoughlin was looking for a way to raise funds as a ‘thank you’ for the treatment he received and also to raise awareness of the work of the two charities.
To organise the event, he enlisted the help of local businessman Robert Wilson, of Pedalware in Lisbellaw, and David Mathews, who has recently retired as business manager of the Bank of Ireland.
Speaking to the Impartial Reporter after completing the journey, Mr. Mathews said that it had been a “great achievement” by all the participants.
“We got great weather on Sunday, but it was not so good on Monday. The main thing was that everyone got home safely,” he said.
Mr. Mathews admitted that the route, set by fellow organiser Mr. Wilson, had been tough going at times.
“The main objective was to avoid the busy main roads, but instead we got the hills,” he said.
Taking the scenic route through the three counties, the cyclists went through Ballinamallard, Trillick, Dromore, Drumquin, Ardstraw, Victoria Bridge, Artigarvan and Donemana, before arriving at Altnagelvin.
With money still coming in from the participants, the organisers say they are about halfway to achieving their target of £5,000 to be split between the two charities.
Mr. Mathews said that anyone looking to donate money to the event can do so by visiting the following Just Giving pages:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/David-Mathews6
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