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Coast to coast bike ride raises vital funds for local food bank supplies.

Commercial Director of Fresh Start Waste, Colin Harvey, has completed a gruelling 156.4-mile coast to coast solo bike ride to raise much needed £2188 in funds for the Trussell Trust who are working to stop UK hunger and poverty through their network of local food bank supplies.

The Trussell Trust provides emergency food and support to people in crisis. Their mission is to stop UK hunger and as a family-run business, Fresh Start Waste and Colin wanted to support the cause by taking on a challenge which will really make a difference to the lives of people in need, particularly given the recent £20 per week cut in Universal Credit, pushing many UK families into food poverty.

The ride was not uneventful, with a blip around 120 miles where some issues with Colin’s bike gears occurred, however he found a workaround to overcome this and with one final flapjack he was nearly at his destination, Whitby – which he knew he was near, but couldn’t see until the very last mile before he arrived at 940pm.

Colin said “After 16 strenuous hours, 156 miles and a climb of 12,375 ft (equivalent to 11.5 times up the Eiffel Tower) I can honestly say I’m delighted to have completed the coast-to-coast bike ride. I got to see some beautiful areas of the country – rivers, babbling brooks, scenery – which I would never have seen in the car.”

Colin’s original plan to cycle as a duo with his life-long friend Graham from Lands End to John O’Groats was served a blow as Colin had to isolate as part of the COVID restrictions. To complete a challenge and honour the generous donations people had made, he decided to take on the challenge to cycle coast to coast solo, in one day, with only the sheep for company!

coast to coast bike ride for local food banks

Starting at sunrise – 540am – Colin left the small, attractive resort of Seascale and headed across some the UK’s most challenging and beautiful national parks. First up was the Lake District, with its rugged terrain and steep, narrow climbs and low hanging cloud. The weather was dry and overcast, not too hot or cold, brightening up as the day went on, making the conditions perfect for the ride. Next, it was over the scenic Yorkshire Dales, famous for its stone walls crossing the landscape and known for the life and books of the 20^th century veterinarian and author James Herriot. The final national park crossed was that of the open, heather-clad, steep climbs of the Yorkshire Moors.

“I’m over the moon with the amount raised, as in these poverty-stricken times, I feel my efforts will make a genuine difference to families not going hungry. I’d like to thank all those who sponsored me and am looking forward to doing similar challenges and raising even more money for charity as I hope to complete the 180-mile Wales Coast to Coast (Caernarfon to Chepstow) ride and have booked to cycle the French Alps in September 2022.”