1,000 mile trip on fold-up bikes raises at least £30,000
Phil and Harry, who completed the Manufacturing Engineering Tripos at the IfM in 2010, organised a team of riders (pictured right at John O’Groats) to undertake the epic challenge. Dubbed Small Wheels Big Difference, the project took two weeks and involved battling gale force winds and flash floods.
The idea was born after two of Phil's friends died of cancer last year. They had received care from the Hospice in the Weald and Phil decided he wanted to do some fund raising for the hospice and other charities, to help ensure other families could receive the same care and support in the future.
"After a chat in a pub with Harry and another friend Richard Denny, I came up with a suitably crazy idea: To cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats on small wheeled, fold-up Brompton Bikes to raise £50,000 for Hospice in the Weald, Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital and Help for Heroes.”
Brompton bikes are designed and built in a factory in West London. The company is one of only two major frame manufacturers still based in the UK.
Phil and Harry and their team have managed to raise at least £30,000 so far for the three charities. Anyone wishing to sponsor them and help them realise their goal can do so at: www.smallwheelsbigdifference.org
