French bike ride for friend with brain tumour

A group of golf-loving retirees are planning their toughest challenge yet, to cycle from London to Bordeaux, to raise funds for Yorkshire's Brain Tumour Charity (YBTC).

The six men, all in their 60s and from Harrogate, hope to raise at least £35,000 for the organisation after a friend's wife was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.

"We felt we had to do something - we wanted to do something," says Simon Grafton, who came up with the idea for the 480 mile (770km) ride.

"Brain cancer is the one cancer that they're not really making massive progress on," he says.

"Prostate [cancer], breast [cancer], we all hear about, but the brain cancer we don't. I think it's important that we bring it to the fore, hopefully raise some awareness and raise much-needed funds."

They hope to complete the challenge in six days and Simon plans to also run a marathon once they arrive in Bordeaux.

YBTC says 15 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour in Yorkshire each week, while less than 2% of cancer research funding is dedicated to them.

"That's a huge amount of people that need investment into research," says YBTC community fundraiser Sophie Dors.

She says money raised will go towards peer support groups, research in Yorkshire and hardship grants supporting patients and their families.

Rob George, 66, says his motivation for the challenge is "more personal than most" following the death of his wife just over five years ago.

"She had bowel cancer but it was a brain tumour that actually got her in the end," he explains.

"It's pretty close to my heart."

Since planning their challenge, the men have also hear stories from others who have been affected be brain tumours.

"I've heard of somebody who is 45, a mum, diagnosed only in December. That's unfortunately a terminal diagnosis," says Phil Webb, 68.

"Someone else got in touch and said 'my son is nine and his best friend has been diagnosed with a brain cancer'."

Phil says the group have also been inspired by Scottish swimmer Archie Goodburn, who made a plea for more money and resources to be put into fighting brain cancer.

"It makes it clear that we need to do what we're doing," he adds.

On 25 August, the group will depart from Greater London and cycle to Portsmouth, before catching an overnight ferry to St Malo.

The distances travelled each day will get longer through the week, but the terrain will remain mostly flat.

Among the group of six, two say they are experienced cyclists and two often enjoy the thrill of travelling on two wheels.

But Paddy Kidd and David Rowley say they are much less comfortable in the saddle.

"I've really only just started cycling once I knew this challenge was on," says Paddy, 65.

"I have had a couple of incidents since I've been training but hopefully everything will be okay."

David, also 65, claims to be "definitely the weakest cyclist".

"I do quite a bit of running so I've got the fitness but I don't think I've got the bike fitness.

"With the odd tow-rope, I'm sure we'll be able to get there in the end and I'll be doing my best."

Tim North, 60, is the "baby of the group", and says training in the summer's high temperatures had been "perfect" given the likely weather in France.

Phil, one of the most experienced cyclists, says they have "got to take a lot of water on board".

"Same with fuelling. You can be really fit but if you don't take enough food on board and the right sort of food, you can find yourself hitting a wall."

"We'll discipline ourselves and we'll help each other through it."

"Flapjacks, brownies, gummy sweets and water" will be provided by three of the cyclists' wives, following them along the route in a van, Tim adds.

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