A drive to raise more than £50,000 for charity from a 3,500-mile cycle around Great Britain has begun in earnest for a four-man team.
Spalding's Mark Le Sage and Graham Ridley raised £14,000 from their Top 2 Bottom Land's End to John O'Groats Cycling Challenge in 2005.
But July 1 sees the start of an even greater test for the pair – the "Springfields Full Circuit Challenge 2008" and this time they will be joined by Mark's brother James, also from Spalding, and Holbeach St Johns' Marcus Goose.
Starting from Springfields, the lads plan to cycle on tandem bikes in 60-mile shifts to the most extreme points of the compass around Great Britain, beginning with a trek to the most easterly point in Lowestoft, Norfolk.
From there they will travel to Land's End in Cornwall before heading to Northern Ireland and then on to John O'Groats and finally returning to Spalding.
Mark said: "It won't be as intense as the Top 2 Bottom because we will be taking it in turns.
"We will be doing about 60 miles a day and then off the bike, which will be better for our health.
"We would like to invite people to join us for the first leg to Lowestoft.
"Whether you cycle to Holbeach, King's Lynn or the whole way we would like to see people joining in and also raising money for the charities."
They are hoping to match their efforts of 2005 by raising £15.22 per mile cycled – a total of £53,270 – which they aim to raise through donations and sponsorship.
The money will be split between the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance, The Callum Mardy Trust and The Rightside Trust, which gives lectures about the risks of becoming involved in criminal activity and was founded by Mark himself.
In the meantime the group is looking for companies to come forward to sponsor some of the costs of the journey, a wish list for which can be found at www.sfcc2008.co.uk
Mark added: "We've already obviously got sponsorship from Springfields, which we are very grateful for, and we have also had help from Harvey World Travel and Welland Print, but we'd love to get more."
The lads' fundraising efforts will continue on Sunday when they hold a charity rugby match in aid of the challenge and the Children's Cancer Trust on the Memorial Field, Spalding, from 2.30pm.
To sponsor or donate money to the Springfields Full Circuit Challenge cause, call Mark on 07961521727 or e-mail sfcc2008@hotmail.com.The full article contains 434 words and appears in Spalding Guardian newspaper.
