A BOROUGH student has completed a grueling 145-mile charity bike ride thanks to a helping hand from Solihull Council.
Oluwaseun Ibitoye, a student at CTC Kingshurt Academy, was preparing to cycle over the Pennines from Whitehaven to Tynemouth in aid of The John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation, when he realised his bike was not suitable for the challenge.
But, as part of its Switch Solihull campaign to get more people active, Solihull Council stepped in to help 18-year-old Oluwaseun out – loaning the youngster a new bike and waterproof trousers and jacket to help him complete the cross-England ride.
Armed with his new bike, Oluwaseun and a group of friends set off from Whitehaven in the East coast – completing the ride in Tynemouth just two days later and raising vital funds for the charity.
Speaking of his experiences on the ride, Oluwaseun said: “It was quite an eventful trip; the route was very hilly and the weather made the ride difficult, having to deal with rain, wind, hail and even snow.
“The experience was great though and I managed to enjoy the cycle despite the tough conditions.”
The John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation (JTYAF) was set up in honour of Lt John ‘JT’ Thornton RM, from Ferndown, Dorset, who was tragically killed in southern Afghanistan on March 30, 2008.
Visit www.justgiving.com/Oluwaseun-Ibitoye1/ to donate to Oluwaseun’s fundraising efforts.
