Residents and team members at Catherine Court care home in High Wycombe to raise money for the Ride 800 initiative - in which three people will take on a menacing 800-mile cycle

Andrew Knight, chief executive of residential care at Care UK, Jacqui White, marketing director, and Tony Weedon, strategic programme director, will be visiting 26 care homes as part of their mammoth cycle. A large majority of the cycle will be from Poole to Aberdeen, locations of Care UK’s most southerly and northerly homes.

As a warm welcome to the riders as they reached the High Wycombe home, the team put on a vintage wedding-themed party, sharing personal stories and details of their own fundraising ventures which included cake sales and raffles.

Thanks to the combined effort of the homes and the riders, over £19,000 has been raised, obliterating the original £15,000 target!

Whilst also hosting a celebratory event for the Ride 800 crew, residents at the home decorated an old bicycle with a ‘Bicycle made for two’ theme, featuring flowers with white and purple ribbons.

e, Yvonne Keating, home manager at Catherine Court, said: “Many of the residents who live here have been quite involved in fundraising earlier in their life, so they have enjoyed helping to raise money for the three good causes. And we had great fun decorating the bike which was much admired by Jacqui, Andrew and Tony.”

Andrew Knight said: “Even though all three of us have been putting in the training hours, I think it’s fair to say that the reality of such a challenge is becoming very real, and it’s been a true test of our endurance both mentally and physically. A big motivating factor has been the inspiring efforts of the homes we are visiting and their creativity and energies in planning special fund-raising events and activities. Residents and our colleagues are well known for their warm and friendly welcomes which has been key to keeping our motivation levels high and I’d like to say thank you to everyone in the 26 homes, and our Colchester support office, for joining in with our fundraising so enthusiastically.”

If you would like to sponsor the Care UK Ride 800 team, you can go to: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/CareUKRide800