A trio of fundraisers have completed a gruelling 1,000-mile cycle from Plymouth to Santander, Spain, in just 10 days to raise funds for a vital refurbishment project at Dame Hannahs in Ivybridge.
Mike Dunn, Jordan Kelevra and John Wheeler - all members of the Tugboats & Dolphins fundraising group - undertook the challenge as part of their bid to raise £10,000 for the refurbishment of a sensory room used by clients at the Dame Hannahs Rogers Trust.
Dame Hannahs Community Engagement Lead, Debbie Lumsdon, said: “Everyone at Dame Hannahs is incredibly grateful to Tugboats & Dolphins for taking on such a huge challenge. We all know how tough the bike ride was and we are totally in awe of them.”
Founded by Dunn, Tugboats & Dolphins is a group of individuals who take on extreme physical challenges to raise funds and awareness for local causes. This latest campaign aims to update the present sensory room at Dame Hannahs, which supports clients with profound disabilities.
“The current sensory room is 23 years old. The floor needs to be done following a flood which wrecked the walls, and some of the equipment is starting to fail - it just needs updating,” said Dunn.
Kelevra, an engineering project manager, has rallied suppliers and tradespeople to support the build, aiming to stretch every pound raised as far as possible. “The more money we can save in the build, the more equipment we can get for the clients to use,” he said.
He described how one non-verbal patient “beams with joy” when using the sensory room. “The guys there, they've got varying levels of needs. But the nature of a lot of their conditions means they need external sensory enrichment - so it's a large part of their day. Most of the clients use the room on a daily basis as part of their treatment.”
The team’s journey was not without its challenges. Originally mapped at 950 miles, the route ended up exceeding 1,000 miles due to navigational errors, impassable roads and, by their own admission, some “questionable decision-making”.
Wheeler, the only team member who owned a bike prior to signing up, completed the first 300 miles with a seat the wrong size, making for an uncomfortable start.
On one day, they cycled through a red weather warning storm, needing to change clothes every hour. On another, they risked riding across a motorway suspension bridge - dubbed “the bridge of death” - in an unsuccessful attempt to save time, suffering just one punctured tyre in the process.
Reflecting on the challenge, Dunn said: “We saw the great work the charity does but it dug on your heartstrings. I think that what made it so easy for me; if these clients can power on, we can push through a cycle ride.”
Kelevra added: “I think this is just the beginning, I'll be there every Christmas now cooking dinner. I’m really proud of Tugs.”
The team’s next event is a Summer Sports Festival on 2 August at The Barbican in Plymouth, including a South West Strongman competition, a 100-mile swim, and family activities or you can support through Just Giving.