Newbury firefighters' Paris charity peddle

Plea for good send off from fire station

A group of Newbury firefighters are gearing up to set off on a 200-mile charity fundraising cycle to Paris this morning (Sunday), with a £10,000 fundraising target in their sights.

The eight-strong team of firefighters from Newbury Fire Station's green and red watch crews are hoping lots of people will turn up to wave them off at 10.30am, when they set off from the Hawthorn Road station, headed for Portsmouth, via a scenic route, pedalling along minor roads:

"We are hoping for a good send off - and good weather!" said Greenwatch crew manager, Sid Shepherd.

The firefighters, their bicycles and a support vehicle and driver will then pile onto the overnight ferry to le Havre, before cycling onwards to Paris, with the three-day journey broken up into two overnight stop-overs.

Already £2,500 towards their target, thanks to a March 28 charity car wash at the station and February street collection in Newbury town centre, the firefighters have been in training for the venture since last September.

They are raising funds for The Firefighters Charity and also Prior's Court, in Hermitage, which provides education and care for young people from across the UK with autism and severe learning difficulties.

"If anyone wants to sponsor us, drop by the fire station - or make a donation online, they are both very good causes," said Greenwatch's watch manager, Richie Young.

To sponsor the firefighters online visit: virginmoneygiving/priorscourt2paris.