Members of Melksham Rugby Club successfully completed a gruelling 240-mile cycle challenge in memory of a teammate who died last December.
The cycling challenge also raised funds for Dorothy House who cared for former Melksham Rugby player Chris Bull before he died.
The rugby club and their friends and supporters have raised over £6,500, with more sponsorship money coming in.
They cycled from Melksham Rugby Club to Teignmouth Rugby Club in Devon and back. The route was chosen as Teignmouth is where Chris started his rugby career as a boy before later moving to Melksham.
The challenge took two days and started last Friday when the cyclists left Melksham, before returning the next day for a funday which was hosted by the club.
Phil Stone from Melksham Rugby Club said, “The ride went really, really well. We rode 237 miles in total and most of us finished it. We got lucky with the weather too; there were some strong headwinds on the way down but otherwise it was lovely.
“The route was incredibly difficult. It had some monster hills and some people got lost, but it was a fantastic experience and we’re really proud to have done it.
“We trained hard for this with a number of rides throughout the year, and had some great advice from Cyclology Melksham. We also had support from Medicare and Kings Auto, who kindly sponsored our cycle shirts, as well as City Fitness who donated a number of supplements for the ride.
“We smashed our fundraising target and it has all been such a success. We couldn’t have done without the support of all our families, friends, and those at the club. I don’t think we’ll be doing it again soon though; our legs need a rest!”
The family funday proved popular and included activities such as welly wanging, an obstacle course, rugby baskets, outdoor skittles, a space hopper trail and much more. A presentation also took place when the cyclists returned.
For more details and to donate to Melksham Rugby Club’s fundraising effort visit www.justgiving.com/Melksham-RugbyClub
