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80 can't put the brake on John's pedal power
CYCLING hundreds of miles with the sun blazing down as you pedal up steep hills in aid of people thousands of miles away is not your usual activity for a pensioner.
CYCLING hundreds of miles with the sun blazing down as you pedal up steep hills in aid of people thousands of miles away is not your usual activity for a pensioner.However, 80-year-old John Reynolds, of Oakdale Avenue, Stanground, Peterborough, will do exactly that when he cycles from Whitehaven, in Cumbria, to Roker Park, in Sunderland, next month.
The journey will be tough, but the Peterborough pensioner will be spurred on for each of the 140 miles by the thought that what he is doing will help poverty-stricken people in far off lands.
For John, a keen cyclist, will be raising money along the way to help build a new church complex in Kigali, the capital city of the Rwanda in Africa, to support 3,000 people.
To enable all of the church fellowship to meet together in one place, a new building complex is being constructed at a total cost of more than 210,000.
Land has been purchased, the site cleared and foundations laid, but another 125,000 is needed to complete the project, and that's where John climbs on to the saddle.
He said: "They have done a lot of work towards the church, but they have not finished it and they can't use it until the first floor and roof have been completed and all the services installed.
"To us, it's a lot of money, but to the people of Rwanda, who live off just one dollar a day, it's an incredible amount of money, so we asked if we could help them."
The 140-mile gruelling route
John Reynolds will start his four-day 140-mile journey from the coastal town of Whitehaven, in Cumbria, on Monday, 13 July, before heading east.
His journey to Roker Park, in Sunderland, will take him across the North Pennines – a journey that he has taken on a number of other occasions.
John will cycle more than 1,900 feet up steep hills to the Hartside Summit where he will begin his descent down the other side of the Pennines.
He said: "I'm told there's beautiful scenery from the summit, but when I've been up there before it's been too foggy and wet to see anything.
"So I would like to see the views from up there this time, but it's not the main thing."
The trip will then see John finish up at Roker Park, in Sunderland, on Friday, 17 July, when he will be able to enjoy a well earned rest.
He added: "The journey has been organised by Holiday Lakeland, who I have been with several times before. We'll meet at a hotel and the following day, off we go.
"I'm looking forward to it with a degree of trepidation.
"I celebrated my 80th birthday at the weekend and I'm sure I will enjoy the journey," said John, who cycles everyday.
John's cycle ride, which takes place from July 13 to July 17, will not be the only event taking place next month to raise money for the Rwandan church fund.
Pastor Steven Gashumba, who leads the Church of Rwanda for Jesus, will be sharing his vision for the church at a special Gospel concert to be held at 8pm on Saturday.
The concert takes place at St Mark's Church Hall, in Lincoln Road, Peterborough, and admission is free.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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