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A creative businessman from Lichfield is going to be donning his cycling helmet and gloves to raise money for a cause close to his heart. John Heeler will be cycling with the support of two friends, from the clock tower in Lichfield, to Big Ben in London – and all for the We Love Lichfield charity.
The ride, which will take place on Sunday, 8th July, will cover around 160 miles – and the trio will be aiming to do it in just one day, without a support vehicle.
John, who heads up creative design agency Straightforward on the outskirts of the city, said the challenge was double pronged.
“I’ve been involved with We Love Lichfield for the past three years and have seen the incredible work they do with not only raising the profile of a city I was raised in, but also helping the various charities in and around it.
“Having my business in the city was an important part when I set it up 16 years ago, and I think it’s equally important to give some of your time and experience back to the community. This is the ethos of We Love Lichfield and the fact that money raised is invested in being able to provide support in the future to community groups, throughout the Lichfield district,” he added.
John, along with his friends Richard Matthews and John Poulton, are keen to also point out that they are not regular cyclists, and will be doing the challenge to have fun, raise some money, and complete something that they have always wanted to do.
“I have always thought this would be a great adventure and personal challenge, and it would be amusing to see if we could cycling the distance in a day. While I’m sure many experienced cyclists could do it quite easily, it will be a challenge for us, but one that we will relish and enjoy – even the hills. If we can raise a little bit of money too along the way for We Love Lichfield, then that will just be the icing on the cake,” he said.
John is also going to be helped by Freedom Cycles in Lichfield, who will be ensuring the trio will be fully prepped for the challenge, giving them essential training in changing tyres, chains and inner tubes, before they set off.
Simon Price Patron of We Love Lichfield said: “We are really grateful of anyone who raises money for the cause, and John and the team are no exception. We are sure they will have a great day and look forward to hearing about their adventure.”
To help the team raise money, visit https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/johnheeler
For more details about the ride, John will be posting pictures on www.straightforwardsolutions.co.uk