Fifty supporters of a charity that supports families caring for a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness raised more than £32,000 by taking part in the Ride-London Surrey cycle race last weekend.

The cyclists backed the Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity when they began their 100-mile challenge at the Olympic Park in Stratford, rode through central London into the Surrey countryside before completing the route in Westminster.

The £32,000 figure continues to rise, a spokeswoman for the charity said.

One rider, Nick Levett from Crawley Down completed Ride London for Rainbow Trust in five hours. Nick raised £2,798 for the charity and his total is continuing to rise. Nick described the experience as “a rewarding and exhilarating experience and a great chance to raise money for a charity which continues to make a massive difference to so many lives.”

Fellow cyclist Godfrey Haire is a dad from Redhill supported by Rainbow Trust, who is preparing to donate a kidney to his seven-year-old son Henry. He said: “This event has been really rewarding for me and everyone else here.

“I’m sure that the money we have all raised together today will contribute massively towards Rainbow Trust care programs both locally and all across the country.”

Emma Haines, Director of Marketing and Fundraising at Rainbow Trust, said: “It’s great to see our Rainbow Trust supporters taking on the challenge of RideLondon.

“I would like to thank them and the Rainbow Trust volunteers cheering them on today. We have a care team in Leatherhead which supports local families across the region.

“All the money raised today will really help us to continue to provide our vital support for families with a seriously ill child.”

Rainbow Trust is a national charity that relies almost entirely on voluntary donations and thanks to its generous supporters helps over 2,000 families in England.

For more information, or to donate, visit rainbowtrust.org.uk