Newcastle man to take on mammoth 250 mile bike ride to support veterans charity
Graham Baldridge, 49, is once again taking part in the Big Battlefield Bike Ride in aid of Help for Heroes
A Newcastle man is set to take on a mammoth 250 mile bike ride to support a national veterans charity, and has been fundraising through the Stonegate Group, the pub group for which he works as a regional manager. Graham Baldridge, 49, is once again taking part in the Big Battlefield Bike Ride in aid of Help for Heroes, following on from the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
After his participation in the event last year, Graham has put together a team of seven of his colleagues from across the country to join him this time around. Graham said: "I was blown away when I heard about the physical and mental challenges experienced by many of the veterans who took part in the ride last year.
"We covered around 250 miles over five days, and when you’re riding side-by-side with people it makes it easier for them to open up and share their experiences. I was so impressed by how the Charity helps veterans that I decided I wanted to do more."
On the extra training he has put in this year, Graham continued: "I’d never done a bike ride like this before, so I learnt a lot. I’ll be wearing four pairs of padded shorts and will make sure I have enough Sudocrem with me.
"The teams in the pubs are organising collections, quiz nights and fun days. Our team is aiming to raise over £20,000 in total, and I know that will make a difference to the Charity."
Graham took a trip to Auschwitz Birkenau in Krakow last year, and on the significance of his fundraising, he added: "The ride this year is part of commemorations for VE Day and I think it’s so important that younger generations don’t forget the sacrifices made.
"There will be a historian on hand during the ride to point out significant locations along the route and I’m sure this will be particularly poignant for people."
The Big Battlefield Bike Ride will start at Wellington Barracks on Tuesday, June 17, with a backdrop of Buckingham Palace, following in the footsteps of the Allied Forces, leading to the German city of Rheine, stopping at historical stops along the way.
Since its inception in 2007, the Big Battlefield Bike Ride has been a key event for Help for Heroes, and at last year's event alone the ride raised an impressive £344,416. To support Graham in his fundraising efforts, you can find out more and donate on his dedicated JustGiving page here.