Around the coasts in eight days for Spalding cider maker Trevor

A Spalding cider maker is putting his apples to one side in July to ride around England and Scotland for charity.

Trevor Corney (52), of Churchill Ciders, has set himself the challenge of cycling 800 miles in eight days to raise as much as possible for Cancer Research UK and Dementia UK.

The cider and apple juice maker, responsible for brews which include Yellowbelly, Spalding Scrumpy and Fenland Gold, will leaves home on Tuesday, July 17.

Trevor will ride through Shropshire, Merseyside, Cumbria, Scotland, East Yorkshire and the Lincolnshire Wolds, before returning to Spalding on Monday, July 23.

He said: "I like cycling because it's accessible to everybody and I do a fairly big ride at least once a year.

"Three years ago, I did a 152-mile non-stop bike ride for Prostate Cancer UK, raising £1,500 for one day's cycling.

"So I asked myself 'What could I do as another big challenge?' and the thought of riding 800 miles in eight days came into my mind.

"I shall be leaving home on July 17 with a fully loaded bike, carrying cooking and camping equipment, in order to make it as difficult as possible.

"It's because the message I'm trying to get across is that living with cancer is a daily struggle."

As a trial run for July's challlenge, Trevor did a 240-mile cycle ride from Spalding to Cromer, Bury St Edmunds and back, over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend.

He said: "It was a way of testing things out over a three-day period and it served its purpose because the important thing about cycling is that you have to go at your own pace.

"But you can't really train for something like cycling for 800 miles over eight days, except that going too slowly is as bad as going too fast."

Trevor talked about his challenge to residents at Beech Lodge Nursing Home in Holbeach St Johns two weeks ago, some of whom have dementia.

He said: "I decided on the charities to support because cancer and dementia are the two most widespread conditions that affect almost every family in the UK.

"There are lots of different sorts of dementia and Cancer Research UK itself estimates that there are more than 200 different types of cancer in the world.

"The challenge is going to be tough, parts of it will be extremely hilly and I'll be burning about 650 to 750 calories and hour.

"But it'll be a fantastic journey as well, both physically and mentally."

To sponsor Trevor, visit https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org and or https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/trevor-corney