To Paris... and Back Again!
Published on 15 August 2024 02:08 PM
Already having a passion for cycling, our outstanding supporter, Ryan Barwick turned his hobby into a remarkable fundraiser for Age UK Plymouth, pedaling to Paris, all while supporting over 50's, those living with dementia and their carers in Plymouth.
What made this fundraising effort so special was learning that our cause was deeply personal to Ryan. "My step mum Eilish has Lewy Body Dementia and Age UK Plymouth were there to help and support our family so I thought I would try and raise a few quid for them."
Now that he has returned, we were keen to get an insight on his journey. Ryan shared how the support from everyone who donated kept him motivated throughout the ride.“It was an amazing experience cycling to Paris and knowing it was helping a great cause kept me pushing everyday. The scenery was amazing with smooth roads to cycle on and not a pot hole in sight which made a nice change from my usual rides back home!”
“It was great to see the iconic Eiffel Tower on the last day with the Olympic rings ready for Paris 2024 and knowing I had cycled all the way there.”
But Ryan wasn’t quite done yet, instead of taking the Eurostar back to London, he decided to challenge himself further by cycling back from Paris to Roscoff and finally catching the ferry back to Plymouth.
"In total when I left London, I ended up cycling around 700 miles over 8 days and just slightly under the elevation of Mount Everest."
In total, Ryan absolutely smashed his target and raised over £1,200 which will go directly to supporting over 50’s in Plymouth to improve their quality of life – a cause Ryan was proud to pedal for Plymouth, in the city where it means the most.
Dedicated fundraisers and supporters like Ryan enable us to keep us active in the community, ensuring we are providing the essential care and support to our clients in Plymouth. We are so grateful to Ryan for taking on this inspirational challenge and championing our charities mission.