Oswestry dads train at dawn for Hope House Cycle Challenge
Three dads from Oswestry will be taking to the saddle to take on the Hope House Cycle Challenge next month.
Arindam Das and his two friends Nick Barker and James Champion have set themselves this challenge after several years of inconsistent riding.
The Hope House Challenge seemed an ideal way to get back on the saddle, whilst raising money for their local children’s hospice.
The three men formed ‘The 5am Club’ out of a need to optimise personal health within the context of extremely busy work and home lives.
The club name simply reminds them sometimes to achieve certain goals, you have to create the time - even if it means waking at 5am to do it.
“Working as a local GP, I have attended Hope House on several occasions, and have remained in awe of the level of care and attention children and families receive. I wanted us to take on the Hope House Cycle Challenge to support this vital local charity,” said Arindam.
“I consider myself to be an honorary member of the 5am club, as I have recently joined to get back into the saddle and be with friends, enjoy exercise, get my mental health back and feel like I am supporting a great cause at the same time - what’s not to love about that? Apart from the 5am starts,” said James.
“As any parent will testify, as soon as your children are born your priorities change, and your most important job becomes ensuring they are safe, well and happy. Sadly for some families this is not always possible, and anything we can do to ensure there are places like Hope House to help care for and support those children and their families has got to be well worth the effort,” said Nick.
The Hope House Cycle Challenge is on 14t August and starts at Hope House, but cyclists can choose whether to take on a 56-mile route to Lake Vyrnwy, or a 70-mile route to Lake Bala, finishing up again at Hope House.
Hope House fundraiser Bekki Fardoe said: “The Cycle Challenge is always a brilliant event, and this is the first one we have been able to hold since 2019.
“Places have been selling pretty fast with people taking full advantage of the early bird price of £25. Anyone interested in taking advantage of that price before Sunday should sign up soon.”
Tickets for the Hope House Cycle Challenge are available at www.hopehouse.org.uk/cycle and are £25 in advance or £35 on the day.
You can also donate to the 5am Club’s page at www.justgiving.com/team/The5amClub
