On Saturday 5th August, 22 riders embarked on a gruelling six day, 410 mile cycle ride from Leicester to Luxembourg, to raise funds for LOROS Hospice and the Penny Appeal.
The team departed from Leicester’s historic Clock Tower and headed for Harwich to catch the overnight ferry to the Hook of Holland. From there they continued their journey through Holland, Germany and Belgium before arriving at their destination in Luxembourg.
Established in 2012 by a group of De Montfort University students, the Riders of Shaam have hosted a number of annual cycle rides to different parts of Europe to raise money for worthy causes both locally and around the world.
So far this year the team have raised more than £60,000 and are well on the way to reaching their £10,000 target for LOROS Hospice. Their goal is to provide the money to purchase a number of specialised beds that will benefit patients from across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
The money raised for the humanitarian charity, Penny Appeal will be split between a number of worthy causes:
- Around £20,000 will go towards Urgent Response, a programme covering emergency aid for Syria, Somalia and Yemen.
- Around £15,000 has been raised for Hifz Orphans in Gambia.
- Another £15,000 has also been raised for Thirst Relief in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Fundraising Co-ordinator, Andrew Ward said: “The riders have done an incredible job raising such a fantastic amount of money for both LOROS Hospice and some very worthy causes around the world. Their efforts will benefit many people for years to come and we would like to say a massive thank you for their hard work and dedication.”
“It is a real privilege being part of the Riders of Shaam,” said leader of the group Amin Omar. “I have taken part in every ride and each one brings a new experience, new people, new challenges and ups and downs, but above all, a strong unity between the group.
“It is more than just cycling, the community really pull together, donate towards the cause, sponsor us and really get behind us - their support is incredible.
"Every year a new challenge begins, so watch out for us in 2018!”
If you would like to help the team reach their LOROS target, you can donate here
