73-year-old tackles Britain on two wheels for ShelterBox
73-year-old tackles Britain on two wheels for ShelterBox
A man in his 70s has cycled the length of Britain in a gruelling challenge in support of people around the world left without shelter after disaster.
Frank King cycled 1,000 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise funds for the international disaster relief charity, ShelterBox.
The president of Nailsworth Rotary Club, Frank, said:
“Despite having cycled for many years, I wouldn’t call myself a mad keen cyclist. Nor would I call myself a spring chicken. At 73 (and a half) years old I knew this would be a tough ride, but a great challenge – and that it was!
“14 days of cycling, climbing over 55,000 feet, and digging into my mental reserve to battle fatigue. The scenery was a particular highlight. We cycled over rolling coastal hills, did a steep climb up to Dartmoor, and even stopped on the top of the Severn Bridge.
“Months of training during the bleak winter months prepared me well for the ride, but I wouldn’t have got through it without the camaraderie of the 18 strangers I cycled with. All of them were much younger than me with far more expensive bikes compared to the 16-year-old one I rode, but so supportive. The whole cycle was an incredible experience and I’m thrilled to be able to raise money for ShelterBox.”
The Cornwall-based charity supports people who have been uprooted from their homes after disaster or conflict by providing different types of shelter and essential items like water filters, solar lights, mosquito nets, and blankets. Recognising that no two disasters are the same, ShelterBox provides different combinations of aid so that people are supported with the items they need.
The charity was founded in 2000 by a Rotary Club in Helston and the two organisations have been working closely since, supporting each other to reach more people around the world affected by disaster.
Frank continued:
“I’ve known about ShelterBox for many years, first hearing of it when a member of the Nailsworth Rotary Club went to Haiti as a ShelterBox volunteer. It’s a standout charity for the way it does disaster relief, providing a roof and practical items that are needed when people have been left with very little.”
So far, Frank’s challenge has raised over £4,300, which will be split between ShelterBox and Nailsworth Rotary Club. Donations can still be given via his fundraising page.
Fiona Turner, Rotary Engagement Officer at ShelterBox, said:
“We’re often left in awe when hearing the challenges our supporters put themselves through to raise funds and awareness for ShelterBox. Frank’s cycle sounds epic and exhausting! What a show of true strength. We’re so grateful for his support.
“Every year the number of people displaced from their homes increases and so does the need for emergency shelter. We have been scaling up our responses to meet the global shelter need, but we couldn’t do this without our supporters, like Frank, who give up their free time for ShelterBox.”
ShelterBox currently has a team in the Caribbean where island nations have been left devastated by Hurricane Beryl. On some islands, every house has been damaged.
The charity has aid being distributed in Gaza where 1.7 million people have been affected by conflict. It’s also responding to flooding in Bangladesh, conflict in Syria, and climate-related displacement in Ethiopia and Somalia.
To find out more about ShelterBox and where it is working around the world, please visit: ShelterBox.org.
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- July 23, 2024
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