In a previous news item, we introduced club members to long time friend of the club Patrick McIntosh and his fund raising activities for St Catherine's hospice.

Patrick, a 70-year-old from Outwood, Surrey, and a three-time cancer survivor, is undertaking a remarkable 1,400 km (870 miles) cycling journey across Canada to raise funds for St Catherine’s Hospice in Crawley. This challenging ride from Vancouver to Calgary, which began on May 25, 2025, involves ascending over 48,000 feet through the Canadian Rockies.

Patrick aims to complete this expedition in 16 days, with a fundraising goal of £20,000. Notably, for every £1 donated, two sponsors have pledged an additional £2.50, potentially bringing the total to £50,000.

His journey has included various challenges:

Day 1: A 64.2-mile ride from Vancouver to Abbotsford.
Day 2: 70 miles from Abbotsford to Hope, reaching the Rockies' foothills.
Day 3: A 5,500-foot climb over 45 miles to Manning Park, navigating around a trail washed out by flash flooding.
Day 4: An 86-mile ride from Eastgate to Keremeos in 33°C heat and strong headwinds.
Day 5: A grueling ascent of 2,670 feet over 17 km on gravel, followed by a scenic valley ride to Osoyoos.

Patrick's progress can be followed on his Google Maps Route Planner

With nearly 40 years of fundraising for St Catherine’s Hospice, Patrick's previous endeavors include cycling from Twickenham to Tokyo for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, a solo expedition to the South Pole, and a ride from the UK to Barcelona in 2024.

Donations to support Patrick's current challenge can be made through his Just Giving page.