Lee’s back with a blazing saddle
Thursday 14th June 2012
© Lee Ford
A Bedlington man has just returned home following his biggest charity fundraising project to and it was all in the name of wildlife.
By day, Lee Ford is a personal trainer at Paramount Gym in Bedlington but by night he turns into a volunteer fundraiser for Northumberland Wildlife Trust.
During 2011 and 2012, super fit Lee has taken part in a number of sporting challenges to raise funds for the wildlife charity including the BUPA Great Winter Run in Edinburgh and the BUPA Great Manchester.
On Thursday 31 May Lee pedalled off on his Cap-To-Cap bike ride in London - a gruesome 10 day challenge which saw him riding over 850 miles across the country and Ireland, taking in the five capital cities of the British Isles - London, Cardiff, Dublin, Belfast and Edinburgh.
Despite a massive puncture in Ireland (and a 9 mile round trip to get it fixed), weather which ranged from glorious to horrendous, Lee met some wonderfully kind people on his travels who kept his spirits up with high energy drinks and massages.
He pedalled in to the Half Moon Inn in Stakeford, on Saturday (9 June) to rapturous applause, just in time to attempt the famous ‘Half Moon 30oz Burger Challenge’.
Mike Pratt, Chief Executive of Northumberland Wildlife Trust said: “Wow, what a star! Most of us groan at the thought of driving 850 miles but to actually get on a bike and cycle that many miles is truly amazing. Lee is an inspiration to us all here at the Trust and just proves that is you want to do something, the only person stopping you is yourself.”
To date, Lee has raised over £1,000 and anybody wishing to still support
him can do so by logging on at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/leeford
Later this year, he will be running in the Great North Run dressed as the Roald Dahl character the Fantastic Mr Fox before sprinting off to his first full marathon event - the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon on Sunday 30th September.
Tagged with: Fundraising