Cycle Team raises funds for Yorkshire Cancer Research content
A Sheffield cycle team has raised more than £1000 for Yorkshire Cancer Research by donating its winnings from competitions throughout the year.
Members of the ‘Lifting Gears Products/Cycles in Motion’ team have been back on their bikes and taking part in events since the lifting of lockdown restrictions and were keen to use cycling competitions as an opportunity to support the charity.
The team has raised £1190 so far and plans to continue to donate to the charity.
Team member Nick Latimer, a researcher at the University of Sheffield as been cycling competitively for over 20 years.
He said: “We’d been thinking about how we could fundraise through our cycling and decided that as a team we could donate the winnings that we receive to Yorkshire Cancer Research.
“My mum and dad have both had multiple cancers, as well as people in my wider family, and they’ve had amazing treatment and support in Yorkshire, so I wanted to give back to a charity that helps to provide those treatments.”
Nick's work at the University of Sheffield involves studying health data to determine the effectiveness of cancer treatments - research Yorkshire Cancer Research has helped fund over the years - with the aim of allowing patients to get the best possible care.
Andy Nichols, a lecturer in nutrition at Sheffield Hallam University, organised a Hill Climb event for the team in September, which raised £680 for the charity.
The event consisted of timed, individual sprints up the hill, which took place at Mill Lee Lane in Bradfield. The winner was the cyclist who completed the sprint in the quickest time.
Andy said: “Knowing that we were fundraising for Yorkshire Cancer Research meant that there was a lovely atmosphere. It gave the event a real purpose and instead of the typical competitive feeling, there was a sense that everyone was contributing to an important cause.”
In an effort to make sure that all funds were donated to Yorkshire Cancer Research, and costs were kept as low as possible, one cyclist and his young daughter volunteered to make the trophies out of cardboard and tin foil.
Andy commented: “The trophies were fantastic, although there were some creative differences when dad needed to make trophies, but his daughter wanted to make mermaids.
“It was a lovely moment to be able to present something handmade to the winners.”