Adam Wearing, a student at Arden College in Southport, has been celebrating after helping raise hundreds of pounds for charity by participating in the 2015 Bucket and Spade cycle ride.
“It was exhausting but worth it,” said Adam who is on the autistic spectrum. Adam was able to complete stages of the 70-mile ride from Southport to Blackpool and back, and is donating all the money he raised to CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young), a charity which helps young people at cardiac risk.
Cyclists left Southport in the early morning of June 13 after a short speech by Southport MP John Pugh.
Organisers of the ride helped the student by allowing him to cycle certain stages of the ride and travelling on a support vehicle at other times. After returning to Southport at 5pm, Adam met and posed for photographs with the Mayor and Mayoress of Sefton, Cllr Stephen Kermode and his wife Gwen.
Adam, who was supported on his ride by care assistant Jossy Sitoe and residential home manager Steve Van Der Merwe, is donating his charity money to the organisation CRY.
A family friend, also called Adam (Lewis), passed away suddenly last year aged 24. The money will be spent screening young people between the ages of 10-35 years for abnormalities in the heart, and supporting bereaved families.
Steve, Adam and Jossy raised more than £200 for various charities, including CRY.
Steve said: “Special thanks must go to Houghton Arms pub in Southport who collected money from their staff and clients to support Adam. Adam regularly attends karaoke at this pub.” Staff from Arden College, employees at Unilever, and family and friends also sponsored Adam.
Adam said he and his family wanted to thank everyone for their support and encouragement which was “much appreciated”.
Steve said: “Adam did most of the first stage of the ride – some 15 miles – and then did the entry ride into Blackpool and then the entry ride at the finish into Southport.
“Before the ride he asked people to sponsor him. He also gave a short speech thanking people at the Houghton Arms who sponsored him during karaoke the night before the ride.
“Adam was ready on the day by 6.30am and followed all instructions before and during the ride. We are very proud of what he did.”
Arden College in Derby Road, Southport, run by Priory Education Services – part of the Priory Group of Companies – is a co-educational specialist residential college, providing support and care for young people aged 16-25 with learning difficulties such as autism.
Nationally, Priory Education Services run 22 schools and colleges providing education and support for more than 1,000 pupils of whom about 800 are on the autistic spectrum.
Mr Van Der Merwe added: “The ride also helped raise money for Shoreline Church which runs community projects and counselling services, Community Link Foundation, which helps people in need in Southport, and Heartland which campaigns to reduce serious road traffic collisions in Merseyside.”
If you’d like to learn more about how Priory Education Services can care for a child in your care, please call 0800 691 1340 or click here to make an enquiry.
Submit News Contact us with your community, business or sport news. Phone 07581350321
Email ots@otsnews.co.uk
Facebook www.facebook.com/otsnews.co.uk
Twitter www.twitter.com/onthespot_news
Breaking local news as it happens, searchable archives with photographs, the ability to instantly comment on news articles – there are so many advantages to OTS (Onthespot) News.
If you want your news read locally online then send it to ots@otsnews.co.uk – relying only on the newspaper is to restrict yourself to an ever reducing audience.
OTS News on Social Media