Newbury estate agent braves rain to raise £5k through charity bike ride

Charles Robinson was still smiling despite two falls and a puncture on 80-mile journey

THE director of a Newbury estate agents has raised more than £5,000 for two good causes by embarking on an 80-mile solo charity cycle ride.

Charles Robinson rode from Newbury to Devizes and back in one day along the Kennet and Avon Canal last Wednesday.

Despite appalling weather conditions, two falls and a puncture, he was somehow still smiling at the end of the day.

Mr Robinson was hoping to raise £2,000 for Newbury Cancer Care and Julia’s House, the estate agent’s two chosen charities

However, he has smashed that total and at the time of publication has raised more than £5,000.

Like many other organisations, Jones Robinson’s usual charity fundraising events were cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But in an attempt to stop those charities missing out on the cash, Mr Robinson took it upon himself to do something to help out.

His journey started just before 7.30am when he left home in Andover Road and rode to The Rosemary Wing at West Berkshire Community Hospital, where Newbury Cancer Care is based.

From there, he rode to Jones Robinson’s Newbury offices in Bartholomew Street, where he was given a rousing send off by all the staff.

After leaving Newbury at around 8.20am, he arrived at Julia’s House Hospice in Devizes just before noon.

After a quick pit stop to change his clothes and grab some lunch at Jones Robinsons’ office in Devizes, he set off for the second leg at 12.40pm, arriving back in Newbury at around 4.15pm.

Mr Robinson said: “The weather could not have been worse as it rained persistently all day, making the challenge somewhat tougher than I had anticipated.

“But despite the weather I really did enjoy the day – especially when I got home, had a bath and then lay on the sofa for the rest of the evening with a beer or two.

“We are thrilled that we managed to raise over £5,000 which is much more than we anticipated and certainly higher than our targeted £2,000.

“It’s incredible just how kind and generous people have been, especially in these times, and I cannot thank everybody enough for their support.

“Since lockdown I have found a renewed love for cycling and have been working up to this challenge for the last eight weeks or so, training for three to four hours a day, four to five days a week.

“That in itself was pretty tough going, especially in the last week leading up to the challenge when for four days in a row I was training in 30°C plus heat.”

If you would like to donate and help Mr Robinson reach his fundraising target, visit https://uk.virginmoneygiving. com/fundraiser-display/showRO FundraiserPage?userUrl=jonesrobinson&pageUrl=2

Jones Robinson is keeping the page open until the end of the year to allow as much money to be raised as possible.