A DEDICATED son is gearing up to take on a marathon cycle challenge to mark the 20th anniversary of his father’s death.
Nick Wormald, from Knolwe, will be taking on a 24-hour cycle challenge tomorrow (Tuesday) at The Village Hotel in Shirley in aid of ABF- The Soldiers Charity.
From 4pm he will be under starters orders and he will be going through the night until 4pm on Wednesday in what he has dubbed a cyclothon.
He was be completing the challenge in memory of his father, Richard Wormald who was held as a prisoner of war during the Second World War.
Richard served in the Durham Light Infantry and was captured in France early in the War, on May 28, 1940.
After the war he returned home to County Durham and became a poultry farmer.
The father-of-two was 85-year-old when he died on June 20, 1999.
The cycle challenge isn’t the first challenge the 63-year-old has taken on in aid of the charity which works with soldiers, veterans and their families for housing, employment and finding elderly care.
On June 8 he took on the The Cateran Yomp – a 24 hour challenge to complete a 54-mile trek across the wilderness of The Caingorms in Scotland.
There were more than 1,000 people at the starting line of the Yomp and only 550 made it to the gold standard of 54 miles.
Nick came in 163rd place and completed it in 21hours 24minutes and 16 seconds.
Nick said: “I saw a competition to win a free place on this year’s Cateran Yomp.
“I was unsuccessful but, decided to do the event anyway.
“I have been so inspired by the stories of both adversity and achievement that I decided to do another challenge.
“The dates fell correctly that I could do the cyclothon in memory of my dad.”
So far Nick has raised £3,721 in aid of ABF- The Soldiers Charity and he hopes to raise £7,500.
He is inviting people to sponsor him £5 and they can guess how far they think he will cycle on Tuesday.
For more or to donate visit fundraising.soldierscharity.org/nickwormald
