Morton New Day Baptist Church minister Andy McManus to cycle from Brighton to Bourne for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice

A retired police officer turned Baptist minster from Morton will be cycling around 180 miles from Brighton to Bourne inside two days.

The Rev Andy McManus, minister of New Day Baptist Church will be joined by two other riders, Harvey Taylor and Tomasz Gunia, on the epic trek to raise money for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice on April 23 and 24.

The 55 year-old former Metropolitan and Lincolnshire police officer, said: “It started because I have a dodgy ankle so I can’t run but pedalling is a really good way of keeping fit.

“I’m doing it in memory of my good friend Niall Quinlan who attended Bourne Baptist Church.

“He was a really good, genuine guy.

“He was always out running, really fit and had a resting pulse of 38 I think.

“But he got diagnosed with colon cancer in July 2018 and it just shows that cancer does not discriminate.

“Niall received fantastic care from Thorpe Hall - it’s not just the medical care, it’s the emotional care they provide.

“They have 20 beds which each cost the charity £120 per day.”

Niall died in January this year after being cared for at Thorpe Hall.

Andy, a married father of four with five grandchildren, will be joined by Harvey Taylor, owner of The Universal Gym and Tomasz Gunia, a former Polish footballer and worshipper at New Day Baptist Church.

Andy added: “We are going to try and do about 90 miles a day.

“We’ll be following national cycling route 20 from Brighton to Crawley and then we’ll go up through London and finish at Harvey’s gym on
Wednesday.

“I’m a bit apprehensive about it because it’s going to be really hard but it’s for a really good cause at the end of the day.”

Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/andy-mcmanus5