St Albans man cycles 54 miles for charity in memory of parents
Left to right: Kevin Cooper, Holly Worthington and Chris Gonde. (Picture: Danny Fitzpatrick) - Credit: dfphotography.co.uk
A St Albans man took on a 54-mile cycling challenge to raise money for a heart disease charity in memory of his parents.
Kevin Cooper, 52, took part in the London to Brighton Cycle Ride on Saturday, June 17, in aid of the British Heart Foundation.
Around 16,000 cyclists of all abilities took part in the event to help fund the charity’s research into heart and circulatory disease. The 54-mile route took riders from Clapham Common, through the Surrey and Sussex countryside, and finishing at Brighton’s seafront, with riders celebrating crossing the finish line at the beach village on Brighton Beach.
Kevin completed the challenge in memory of his parents, Nives and Freddie, who died from heart disease in 2001 and 2009 respectively. This was the second time Kevin has taken part in the bike ride, previously riding with his friends Holly Worthington and Chris Gonde.
After crossing the finish line, Kevin said: “Taking part in the British Heart Foundation’s London to Brighton Bike Ride was such an incredible experience.
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“The atmosphere along the route was fantastic and I’m so proud to have been cycling for the BHF’s vital heart research.
“Knowing that I was raising money for such a great cause really spurred me on to the finish line – even on the steep climb up the dreaded Ditchling Beacon!
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“I’m proud that the money I raised will help make a difference to the seven million people living with heart and circulatory disease in the UK.”
The bike ride, now in its 43rd year, is Europe’s oldest charity cycling event, and over the years has seen thousands of cyclists pedalling more than 41 million miles and raising nearly £70 million. This year, the event raised more than £3.1 million for the charity.
Elizabeth Tack, event lead for the bike ride, said: “Without the dedication and commitment of people like Kevin, we wouldn’t be able to fund research that has broken new ground, revolutionised treatments and transformed the lives of millions of people in the UK.
“The stories of why our amazing supporters take part never fails to amaze me and it was incredible to see Kevin and around 16,000 others take on this iconic challenge, which will help us put the brakes on heart and circulatory disease for good.”
