“We were just coping day to day”
05/07/2017
Three Peaks Challenge completed with minutes to spare
10/07/2017Cycling duo ride from London to Paris in four days
Two keen cyclists have finished their 334-mile biking adventure from London to Paris. Andrew Burgess and George Harris completed the ride in four days to raise money for R.A.B.I. The pair expect to raise over £6,000.
Andrew, a fourth generation farmer, is the Director of Agriculture at Produce World, which he runs with his brothers in Peterborough. He is close friends with the Master of the Poulters, George. The Poulters’ Company regulates the sale of poultry, swans, pigeons, rabbits and small game. George was elected as Master in March 2017.
Setting off in the early morning, Andrew and George rode 82 miles on the first day from London to Dover in time to catch the ferry. They covered similar distances over the next three days. “The wheels on the bike went round and round,” Andrew joked.
“It was quite tough and they were long days. We had a constant headwind the whole way, but we enjoyed it.”
On their way, the pair visited the WW2 battlefields to say a prayer for the fallen. “It was moving. I couldn’t speak when we were there, it was so overwhelming,” Andrew admitted.
Their journey finished in the centre of Paris. Andrew said: “We rolled into Paris and rode around the Arc de Triomphe and down the Champs-Élysées to where the Tour de France finishes.”
Both Andrew and George have worked hard to raise funds for R.A.B.I.
“Whenever people ask me what R.A.B.I is I say it’s a charity for farmers and farmworkers less fortunate than us. That’s how I sum it up.
“I’m happy I did it for R.A.B.I. It’s a good cause. Financial hardship is a stark reality for some; I’m a farmer myself and although I’ve never needed their help, you never know.”
This is not the first time Andrew has taken on a challenge for charity and this won’t be his last. He’s already making plans for future treks.
“I’ve always got something on the go. I’ve got a 100 mile bike ride in September and some mountaineering trips this winter.”
Pictured at the top of the page are George Harris (left) and Andrew Burgess (right) at the start of their journey.
Pictured on the right are the pair at the end of their trip (Andrew left and George right).
