Julie Thorne is to cycle more than 500 kilometres across India and battling temperatures of up to 40 degrees centigrade in aid of the Weldmar hospice.
Julie Thorne, 52, who lives on Chickerell Road, and is a hairdresser at Chic in Preston, will be one of a team of riders hoping to raise £3,000 each by cycling 509km across the Rajasthan region of the sub-continent in October.
The ride will take place across just five days in soaring temperatures and Julie has a very personal reason for taking on the challenge after people she knew were cared for at the hospice. She said: “Not wanting to name names but I have actually had a couple of friends last year who passed away. I work as a hairdresser and I had a couple of customers who passed away as well.”
The ride is being organised by the hospice and the riders will be riding up to 82 miles per day and leave the UK on October 22 before returning on October 30. Riders will leave Delhi and head to Agra before going to Jaipur and back to Delhi, taking in sights such as the Taj Mahal and Pink City as well as visiting an orphanage to provide clothing donations.
As well as wanting to raise money for charity, Julie is ready for a challenge. She said: “I’m really nervous. When I was 50 I had to have a big operation and couldn’t do the ride so it’s a really big personal challenge and it seemed like a good charity to do it for.”
Ride organiser Nettie Pitman did the challenge two years ago and with over 20 people already signed up she is encouraging more people to join up for the ride.
She said: “It’s the chance of a lifetime for fitness and your own personal challenge but also it affects your senses, everything, every village has a different colour and smell.”
As part of her fundraising Julie will be hosting a race night at the Police Social Club in Weymouth on Saturday, April 25 with proceeds going towards the cause.
Anyone wishing to donate to Julie’s JustGiving page should visit: https://www.just giving.com/Julie-Thorne1/
If you wish to sign up to the ride, contact Nettie on 01305 848219 or visit http://www.weldhospice.org.uk/fundraising/challenges/cycle-india for more information.
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