Charity challenge for 15 Hartlepool businessmen

The bike riders who will tackle a Coast to Coast challenge next month.

Fifteen Hartlepool men will tackle 145 miles from Whitehaven in Cumbria to Hartlepool next month.

They will be tackling the three-day challenge for the Kay Smith Fund from Thursday, September 15.

Brendan Cafferkey is one of the riders and explained: “Every one of the men is from the town and every one of them has their own business.

“It is fantastic that they are giving up their spare time for this.”

The men will ride more than 30 miles on their first day, 45 on the second and 70 on the third.

Brendan added: “It is going to be quite a challenge. There are 15 of us doing it as well as two or three people in support vehicles.”

The route will take in Keswick and Alston and will include climbing to 1,300 ft as well as stopping overnight in youth hostels.

Brendan was expecting lots of aching limbs but he said some of the men had been putting in practice sessions for the big push.

He added: “The age range of us all is from the late 40s to 55 and some of us are in for a major shock.”

Once they arrive back, the men will “dip their toes” into Hartlepool Marina before heading to the White House - which is supporting the charity drive - for “a spread.”

It’s ten years since Kay, from the Dyke House area of town, died after a year-long battle against breast cancer, aged 37.

She created the kay Smith Fund herself while she was battling the disease.

Since then, the money raised has helped to fund a breakthrough in the early detection of breast cancer.

It has also paid for a child bereavement service based at Hartlepool & District Hospice. The total raised in Kay’s name now stands at more than £185,000.

But Brendan, who was brother-in-law to kay Smith, and his fellow bike riders are hoping to give a big boost to the total.

Anyone wanting to support their efforts should visit www.justgiving.com and search for The White House C2C Fundraiser Brendan Cafferkey Kay Smith C2C.