• Swindon & Wiltshire Community champions
• Monday July 22 2024
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Chippenham professionals raise £4,500 for Wiltshire Air Ambulance on 300km bike ride

A Chippenham couple have raised £4,500 for Wiltshire Air Ambulance with a three-day, 300km bike ride around Wiltshire.

Commercial photographer Nick Cole and his wife Gaynor, who is business manager for Spa Medical Centre in Melksham tackled a route whose distance was equivalent to cycling from London to Leeds.

The challenge started at WAA headquarters in Semington, near Melksham and then headed north towards Malmesbury and on to Avebury and Marlborough on the first day.

On the second day they headed south towards Andover and Salisbury, before finally heading north again and returning to the airbase on day three.

The ride included many climbs especially on the second day, the total climbs were the equivalent of climbing Snowdon three times.

“We knew that our training for the ride would help us, but nothing really prepares you for three solid days in the saddle, with over eight hours each day” said Nick.

The couple trained for a good four months leading up to the start, but not in the heat they had to battle with over the three days.

“The heat and crosswinds added another dimension to the challenge that is for sure” Nick continued.

Nick is an advocate for Wiltshire Air Ambulance and Business Club member and wanted to raise £4,500, which is the approximate cost of a single mission for the air ambulance.

Gaynor has worked at Spa Medical Centre for over 23 years. “The air ambulance does such amazing work for those who live locally and in many cases is the difference between life and death.

“I hadn’t realised how remote parts of the county are and the air ambulance is a vital part of the emergency services,” she said.

Naomi Barker, corporate partnerships lead from Wiltshire Air Ambulance, said: “When Nick mentioned the challenge to us, we thought it was such a great idea and really highlighted how big the county is and would help educate people how much it costs to fund the air ambulance, which is a charity and receives no government funding.

“We are eternally grateful to Nick and Gaynor raising such a high figure and taking themselves out of their comfort zone.”

Wiltshire Air Ambulance carries out its lifesaving work across Wiltshire and Bath up to 19 hours a day, 365 days a year. It costs £4.5 million to keep the air ambulance flying.