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Feb 2023
Harrogate nephew of former broadcaster to cycle 1,000km in 48 hours
A Harrogate man is taking on an epic cycling challenge in memory of his late aunt.
Simon Gregory is set to cycle from North-West Scotland to Winchester Cathedral to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support, which cared for his aunt, Rev Ruth Scott.
He aims to complete the 1,000km route in less than 48hours, in the hope of raising £25,000.
At the time of aunt’s death in 2019, Simon was just taking up cycling and he said the sport helped him deal with his grief.
In 2021, Simon completed a 280-mile cycle from his hometown in Yorkshire to University Hospital in Southampton, raising £14,000 for Macmillan, before planning his next challenge.
The upcoming 1,000km ride, which Simon will complete in June, begins and ends at the locations where his aunt’s ashes are scattered and interred respectively.
Rev Scott was part of the BBC Radio 2 feature Pause for Thought, alongside Sir Terry Wogan and then Chris Evans.
Preparing for his challenge, Simon said:
Simon hugs Ruth's nurse, Mairead, after completing his previous fundraising challenge
As well as remembering his aunt, he also paid tributed to her nurse, Mairead:
Simon’s £25,000 target would cover 101 days of Macmillan nursing.
You can donate £5 by texting ‘RUTH48’ to 70550 or visit Simon's Just Giving page. People can also donate £33 – which funds one Macmillan nursing hour – and have a loved one’s name included on the bike to join Simon on his journey.
Read More:
- Harrogate cycling group: ‘We need delivery, not just bids’
- Government gives final go-ahead for £69m Kex Gill reroute to start
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