by Joe Dale

NewsJune 7, 20210 comments

Nick raises £370 by cycling 100 miles

Nick, a 68-year-old stroke survivor, has pedalled 100 miles in less than a month to raise £370 for Calvert Trust Exmoor. This is the second year in a row that Nick has cycled for us after he raised £280 in 2020.

A stroke in 2009 changed Nick’s busy life forever, but he wanted to continue his love of cycling.

However, Nick felt lop-sided with limited mobility and describes his mental state as being “like a jigsaw has dropped and you need to find the scatted pictures.” Therefore he could not use a regular two-wheeled bike.

Nick was introduced to accessible cycling at Calvert Trust Exmoor in 2015 when he visited with his wife to help with his ongoing stroke recovery. He enjoyed several activities but using an adaptive bike was his highlight. He told us…

“I resolved to ‘Never Give Up’, the motto that still keeps me pedalling to this day! My first experience of what would go on to be my passion, recumbent cycling, was at Calvert Trust Exmoor.

“Finally, I could safely get the adrenaline pumping by hooning around at hair-raising speeds. I came straight home and bought my own recumbent trike and haven’t stopped since.”

After Calvert Trust Exmoor temporarily closed due to Covid-19 in 2020, Nick was keen to get involved with fundraising and wanted to raise money to ensure the charity could continue its work in the future. “Crucial funds were needed to cover essential and unavoidable costs like caring for the equipment, the horses and maintaining the fabric of the centre,” said Nick.

Then, when our 25th Birthday Fundraising Appeal was launched this year, he wanted to get involved once again to raise what he could.

Calvert Trust Exmoor wishes to thank Nick for his efforts, fundraising £650 in less than two years. His continued strength and determination to keep going and keep improving himself is amazing, he should be very proud. It’s been great to have him on board, raising crucial funds during the pandemic. We wish Nick all the best for the future and whatever he decides to do next.