Nine intrepid dads, uncles and friends supported by Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice are today (Sunday) set to complete their latest extreme fundraising challenge – having hiked, cycled and kayaked 200 miles from North to South Wales in just four days.
Tŷ Hafan fathers Paul Fears, Dan Forbes, Ryan Tomlinson, Chris Thomas, James Meacham, Lee Morgan and Anthony Boggis have been joined by Laurence Morgan, brother of Lee, and Jason Foster, Tŷ Hafan’s Director of Finance, for the four-day epic #BikeBoatBoot challenge.
Having started at 5am on Thursday (27 June) outside Conwy Castle the team are set to complete the challenge – which has included kayaking the length of Lake Bala and climbing a total of 28,000 feet – at Tŷ Hafan’s hospice in Sully at teatime today (Sunday 30 June) where they will be greeted by family and friends.
So far, the #BikeBoatBoot team have raised more than £52,000 for Tŷ Hafan, having smashed their original fundraising target of £50,000. Now they are hoping to raise £55,000.
Earlier today, Tŷ Hafan dad and leader of the #BikeBoatBoot team, Paul Fears from Church Village, said: “It’s the final day of the Bike Boat Boot challenge for Tŷ Hafan.
“Spirits are incredibly high, despite everybody really being in a lot of pain, to be honest. Our legs are hurting, backs, shoulders. It’s been intense.
“Yesterday we climbed one and a half times the height of Ben Nevis with a mixture of hiking and cycling off-road and carrying our bikes at times. Everybody had a crash, luckily enough everyone was OK. It was just brutal, some of the most difficult cycling I’ve ever encountered in my life. But we’re OK.
“Yes, it’s a challenge. But when it comes down to it, this is nothing, is it? Compared to what we are going through, what Tŷ Hafan dads are dealing with every day.
“So we’re thrilled to see our sponsorship is now over £51,000, which is absolutely incredible. Thank you to everyone who has supported us, that really gives us a boost. When we look at the page and we see that the money is coming in, I can’t tell you the lift that it gives the team.”
James Davies-Hale, Head of Fundraising for Tŷ Hafan, said: “When a child’s life will be short, no family should have to face it on their own. There are more than 3,000 children in Wales with life-shortening conditions at the moment and currently we are only able to support one in ten of those families.
“We are so grateful to the #BikeBoatBoot team for all that they have done for us, not just regarding all the money they have raised, but for how they have so bravely shared their own stories about how Tŷ Hafan has been able to support them.
“Thank you so much to everyone who has supported the #BikeBoatBoot team for Tŷ Hafan so far and helped them to smash their £50,000 fundraising target. They’re now aiming for £55,000 now it would be just so good if everyone can get right behind them and help them to achieve this.”
To support the #BikeBoatBoot team go to: Bike Boat Boot Challenge for Tŷ Hafan – JustGiving.
To see the route the team followed go to: Tŷ Hafan BBB FULL ROUTE (osmaps.com)
Previous fundraising challenges undertaken by members of this group include the #5in55 challenge in July 2018, which saw twenty dads, uncles, staff and sponsors climb five of the highest mountains in the UK in 52 hours for which they were named Team Fund Raiser of the Year at the 2018 Just Giving Awards.
Three years later in 2021, members of the group took on their #10nTaff challenge, climbing the five highest mountains in North Wales, then the five highest mountains in South Wales, and then cycling from Brecon to Cardiff in 55 hours.
To find out more and to support the team please go to: Bike Boat Boot Challenge for Tŷ Hafan – JustGiving
And you can follow their journey on:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/5in55
X – #BikeBoatBoot (@5in55) / X
Pictured below: Members of the Bike Boat Boot team with support crew in Cardiff Bay this afternoon, shortly before setting off to walk the final six miles of their 200 mile journey four-day journey, walking to their ultimate destination, Tŷ Hafan’s hospice in Sully.
