Inverness schoolboy takes on charity cycling challenge in memory of great-grandmother
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A boy mourning the loss of his great-grandmother has set about cycling 400 miles to her home, from his own garden.
Kinmylies Primary School pupil Ben Hunter (11) wanted to do something for others after his great-grandmother Joyce Wilmot passed away, aged 88, in Matlock, Derbyshire.
Cycling the distance between his house and hers as coronavirus keeps him close to home and off school for the time being, he is raising money for Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance, and has so far raised £2000.
Mrs Wilmot, who died on April 19, wanted donations from her funeral to go to the charity.
Young Ben was inspired by Captain Tom who raised more than £30 million for the NHS during lockdown.
Ben’s mum Wendy Hunter, a charge nurse for the NHS in Inverness, said: “Ben had been reading about fundraising and read about Captain Tom, and it really inspired him.
“On the day of my nana’s funeral, Ben saw the funeral order of service and said that he would do a fundraiser for her.
“He then decided that it would need to be something at home, and maybe in the back garden so that is when he said he would do a cycle to her home, all on an exercise bike.
“When he asked how far away it was, we said it would be a big challenge to take on 400 miles or 682km, but Ben was determined to do it.
“He has surprised us all, and some days he has been doing 80km a day.
“But even his head teacher says, this is what Ben is like, he is always thinking of others.”
Ben, who is due to go to Charleston Academy after the summer break, said he was enjoying the challenge.
“The first two days when I finished I had sore legs, but it is not so bad now,” he said.
“It is not as hard as I thought it was going to be.
“I put the bike out in the garden and if it is raining then I get wet, just like you would on a normal cycle.”
To donate to Ben’s Just Giving fundraiser log on to https://tinyurl.com/ycrwk28r
