Meet the Hartlepool teen who plans to cycle 140 miles in one day for charity

Lewin may be only 13 years old but he is in training to ride from Whitehaven to Hartlepool in 24 hours in September.

His proud mum Lynsey Tubuna said she was ‘so proud’ of her son and added: “Most teenagers want to be on computers or out with their mates, but Lewin is happy to have a balance of both time with his friends and training to complete his next challenge.”

Lewin is no stranger to fundraising and has raised £13,000 since he first started supporting charity when he was 8 years old.

The caring Hartlepool lad is well known for planning big fundraisers whenever his birthday approaches.

In 2016, he amassed £1,800 for Miles for Men by doing a 10-mile sponsored bike ride on his eighth birthday. He had only expected to reach his £200 target.

He went even further two years later on his 10th birthday when Lewin raised more than double his initial target of £2,500. He rode from Whitehaven in Cumbria back to Hartlepool in 3 days with a support team and dad Suli. He did it on behalf of Alice House Hospice.

The effort saw him win the Child of Achievement Trophy at the 2018 Best of Hartlepool Awards.

In 2020, he walked 100 miles in the lead-up to his 12th birthday.

Lewin also sprang into action in a different way last year when he heard charities were struggling during the pandemic.

He used initiative and came up with an online raffle which sold all 100 tickets in just 90 minutes – and at £5 a go, with the chance of winning Ray Ban sunglasses, Lewin raised £500 for Alice House.

Now he has started his latest project and has himself a target of raising £3,000 – once again for Alice House Hospice in Hartlepool.

Mum Lynsey added: “With the pandemic and what everyone has been through the last year, we appreciate times are hard for a lot of people so any amount that is raised will be massively appreciated,

"If Hartlepool gets behind him and everyone donated at least £1, he would surely get to his target.”

To support Lewin, visit his Just Giving page here.

Support your Mail and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest on Pools and new puzzles every day. With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.