24-hour bike ride in memory of mum

Two sons who lost their mother to the perils of mental health will take on a gruelling off-road 24-hour mountain bike challenge.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th May 2015, 10:00 BST
Calderdale Big Dog charity bike ride. From the left, Neil Earnshaw, Mitch Jones, Kev Folan, Andy Geall and Ed Geall.Calderdale Big Dog charity bike ride. From the left, Neil Earnshaw, Mitch Jones, Kev Folan, Andy Geall and Ed Geall.
Calderdale Big Dog charity bike ride. From the left, Neil Earnshaw, Mitch Jones, Kev Folan, Andy Geall and Ed Geall.

Andy and Ed Geall, of Hebden Bridge, will be joined by five cycling chums on May 23 as they take on the epic 152-mile Calderdale Big Dog charitable challenge - setting off from nearby Stubbings Wharf.

Andy, age, and Ed, age, will be joined by Neil Earnshaw, Kev Folan, Mitch Jones, Adam Jones and Justin Taylor as they cycle 21,000-feet off-road through and past Mytholmroyd, Luddenden Foot, Wainstalls, Ogden Water Reservoir, Halifax, Siddal, Copley, Stainland, Scammonden Reservoir, Cragg Vale, Todmorden and finishing back at the former hometown of their mother Karen who committed suicide, aged 62, in 2009 after suffering with bipolar.

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Andy said: “Ironically, it will be a mentally tough challenge as we ascend 50 Calderdale climbs - my mum was an avid walker who loved the outdoors and we will cycle through a lot of the places she used to walk.

“We hope to raise awareness of mental health and understanding of bipolar which is hard to diagnose and is often a misunderstood illness.”

Andy and the gang hope to raise £1,000 for Bipolar UK - to donate see www.justgiving.com/calderdalebigdog

The public is welcome to join the Big Dog bikers along the route - for more information see www.cyclecalderdale.co.uk

Related topics:Hebden Bridge