Pedal power takes students from Cambridge to Cape Verde in Africa!

Pedal power was out in force when police, staff and students cycled for 24-hours at Cambridge Regional College to raise money for charity.

The cycling champs pedalled 4, 405 kilometres – the equivalent of Cambridge to holiday hot spot Cape Verde in Africa.

The challenge took place on static bikes in the sports hall and raised £1,445 for Care of Police Survivors (COPS), which supports the families of police officers killed on duty.

The event involved 10 serving Cambridgeshire Police officers and 17 students and staff from CRC.

Nick Dean, the Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire Constabulary, officially launched the marathon mission on Friday May 17 which ended with cheers and applause on Saturday May 18.

Tony Ixer, a lecturer for Sports and Uniformed Services, said: “It is a big challenge but one we were all ready for. It got tricky in the small hours of the night but we all motivated each other to keep going. We raised £1,445 for this very worthy cause through sponsorship from friends and family.”

The police officers who joined the college event are in training for the Police Unity Tour in July to raise money for COPS. The team will set off on 26 July and cycle from headquarters to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire where a memorial service will be held.

Inspector Caroline Scully, one of those involved, said: “The prospect of being active for 24 hours straight was quite daunting, but we looked out for each other as a team and set goals as went to keep motivated.

“We work closely with Cambridge Regional College and the students on their uniformed services course, so this is an exciting opportunity for us to do a combined event for charity.

“Many of the students are aspiring police officers, so it’s nice to be able to do something together. I’m sure there will also be a competitive element to the day as well.

“By taking part as an extended group more people will get to hear about COPS and we hope it will raise awareness of their work.”

To support the event by donating to COPS visit the Just Giving page.

Care of Police Survivors (otherwise known as COPS) is a UK registered charity dedicated to helping the families of police officers who have lost their lives whilst on duty.

The charity aims to ensure that survivors have all the help they need to cope with such a tragedy, and that they remain part of the police family as they rebuild their lives.

A COPS spokesman said: “Whatever the need, COPS will be able to put survivors in touch with those who truly understand.”
COPS is independent of the police service and was founded in March 2003 by Jim McNulty and Christine Fulton (MBE). Jim was a retired police officer from Strathclyde Police. Christine is the widow of PC Lewis Fulton who was murdered on duty in Glasgow in 1994.

Students taking part were: Megan Bunker of St Neots,  Joe Dockerill of Soham, Dom Francis of Little Downham, Tom McCarthy of Sutton, Harry Wallace of Stretham, Ruben Walton of Willingham, Alex Norman of Cottenham, George Hounsell of Cambourne, Ben Males of Cambridge, Ben Biela of Cambridge, Isaac Rowe of Cambridge, Jade Chapman of Linton, Dan Davis of Impington and Harry Miles of Caldecote.