THREE fundraisers for an Ilkley charity will be cycling from Lands End to John O’ Groats in aid of Save the Children.

Vic Sedlak, 70, and Andrew Copsey, 53, from Ben Rhydding and Geof Ashton, 65, from Burley Woodhead will set off on the challenge in July.

The three men are all members of the organising committee for Pat’s Party, which has raised more than £100 000 for Save the Children and other local and international causes.

Because of the pandemic, Pat’s Party has been unable to hold its two fund-raising events in both 2020 and 2021, so three committee members have decided to undertake the challenge to help make up the shortfall.

Mr Ashton said: “The main reason we are taking on the 1000-mile challenge is to try and make up for the two-year enforced hiatus in our (Pat’s Party’s) fund-raising efforts. Pat’s Party has raised over £100 000 for Save The Children over the years and we have not been able to hold our events during the pandemic. Vic, Andrew and I are members of the Pat’s Party organising committee, so we want to try and recover some of that shortfall

“I have plotted the 1000-mile route from end to end, trying to avoid busy roads, and take in as much of Britain’s fantastic scenery as I can. We will do the ride unsupported, save for meeting our wives for a night in Sedbergh, around halfway. We’ll be carrying all our stuff in saddle-bags.

"There will be 13 proper days of cycling (plus the 15 miles from Wick to John O’Groats), meaning the daily average will be around 70 miles with roughly 5 000 feet of climbing each day."

Over the last 17 years Pat’s Party, based in Ben Rhydding, has raised over £100,000 for Save the Children and has also supported local scouts. It has also donated £5,000 to build a classroom at a nursery school in The Gambia and continues to fund its running costs.

The route through Dartmoor, Cheddar Gorge, the Malvern Hills, the Trough of Bowland, Galloway, Loch Lomond, Glencoe and the Great Glen will climb 50,000 feet of moors, fells and glens.

The riders can be sponsored on their Just Giving page by searching Pats Party Land’s End to John o’ Groats. Employers can be corporate sponsors alongside Allterrain Cycles and Restrap.co.uk by emailing andrew.copsey@btinternet.com

The charity began when Pat Evans of Moorfield Road, decided she wanted to help the children caught up in the Iraq war and organised the 1st Pat’s Party in 2004. It was a party in a neighbour’s field that raised £700 for Save the Children.

Pat was diagnosed with cancer that Autumn, and died the following March. Since then there have been annual summer musical festival parties and autumn bonfires.