Bracknell

Two Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) from Bracknell are training hard for a five-day-long bike ride in aid of charity.

Bracknell PCSO Carl Francis, from the Great Hollands neighbourhood team, and Bracknell PCSO Matt Wright, from the Crown Wood and Forest Park team, have signed up to take part in a 420-mile bike ride from Scotland to Berkshire.

Starting in Edinburgh on 19 May, the two officers are planning to stop en route at Newcastle, York, Leeds and Leicester before finishing in Bracknell on 23 May.

Matt said: “The idea came about because I did a similar ride while I was in the Army. On that occasion I cycled from Germany to Scotland in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Research.

“For the past few weeks, we have been seeking sponsorship for the ride, and locally-based businesses have been very generous. In February, BMW gave us two excellent touring bicycles. Bracknell Leisure Centre has given us two gym memberships, which allow us to train for free until the bike ride. Panasonic, Boehringer Ingelheim and John Nike Leisuresport have made donations and we are awaiting confirmation of sponsorship from other businesses.”

Carl and Matt are taking part in the ride to raise money for two charities: The Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust, and Dreamflight. Matt explained: “The Air Ambulance Trust provides a service across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, but it has no government funding other than the provision of paramedics. The web address for donations linked to our bike ride is: www.justgiving.com/pcsochallenge

“The aim of our second charity, Dreamflight, is to take seriously ill and disabled children to Orlando in Florida for the holiday of a lifetime. The web address for donations linked to our bike ride is: www.justgiving.com/pcsoe2bchallenge

“As well as corporate sponsorship, we’ve had lots of donations from generous individuals. Carl and I, together with other PCSOs, have been doing free cycle marking sessions at local schools and taking our charity boxes along. Not only are we helping to prevent cycle theft, but we’re also raising awareness of our bike ride.”

All donations are very welcome. You can donate via the websites shown above, or call PCSOs Matt Wright and Carl Francis on 0845 8 505 505.

Thames Valley Police ~ Bracknell