Cycle studio take on epic challenge

1,000 miles in six hours for Hospiscare

An indoor cycling studio is taking on a mammoth challenge to raise vital funds for their local hospice.

Hospiscare’s fundraising cycling event, Tour de Devon, challenges participants to cycle 50, 100, 250 or 400 miles to raise funds for end-of-life care.

A team from SHIFT Indoor Cycling in Woodbury is taking the challenge to the next level and aiming to cycle an incredible 1,000 miles in six hours to raise a whopping £1,000 for the local charity.

On Saturday 25 September, around 30 members of the indoor cycling studio will use their pedal power to notch up the miles in support of Hospiscare’s vital care for local people facing life-limiting illnesses. The studio is also planning a bake sale on the day to fuel the riders, feed spectators and raise extra funds.

Every year, Hospiscare provides expert end-of-life care to over 2,000 patients and their families in Exeter, Mid and East Devon. The charity is reliant on the local community to help fund its free, specialist care. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a drastic impact on the charity’s income, leaving Hospiscare facing a deficit of £1.5 million.

Natalie Grainger, founder of SHIFT, explains, “We thought Tour de Devon sounded like a fantastic idea. Supporting the local community is very important to us and it also gives our riders a physical and mental challenge like nothing they’ve done before. We’re a small business, but we really feel like we’re making a difference in a lot of peoples’ lives and we felt it was time to give something back to the community.”

To achieve the ambitious mileage in six hours, the SHIFT team will need to complete 100 miles on ten static cycles. Some team members will cycle in hour-long shifts and four dedicated cyclists will attempt a full 100 miles. SHIFT’s instructors will take it in turns to spur the challengers on and a motivational music mix will help take the riders’ minds off their tired legs.

Martin Stokke, Events Fundraiser for Hospiscare, says, “We are so grateful to Natalie and the team at SHIFT for taking part in Tour de Devon and adding their own ambitious spin to the challenge! We love working with local businesses and it has been amazing to see the motivation and determination from the SHIFT team.