A charitable Harrogate father-of-three is set for another mammoth challenge in memory of his late wife.
Birstwith resident James Badger is tackling his most extreme challenge to date – a 500km tandem cycle ride followed by the London Marathon.
His three-day 500km 'Tandem to the Thames' ride will see him cycle from dawn to dusk on a 42-year-old vintage tandem bike from St James’ in Birstwith to St James’ in London.
He’ll again be fundraising for Blood Cancer UK in memory of his wife Philippa, 42, who died suddenly of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) in 2022.
Since then, the Morrisons supermarkets director has dedicated himself to raising £300,000 to fund a Blood Cancer UK research project in his wife’s memory.
His fundraising has already helped launch a ground-breaking three-year AML research project at Cardiff University.
James said:
“Losing Philippa so suddenly was devastating, and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia is a blood cancer that desperately needs more research.
“I hope this challenge not only raises funds but also awareness about the urgent need for better treatments.
“The tandem is an 42 year old bike, which has been resurrected and refurbished but it’s old-fashioned in style.
“The gears are quite difficult to use and very hard to balance! Running is also very new to me, but training has been going well.
“As well as the support I’ve been receiving, what keeps me going is that every pound donated brings us one step closer to making a real difference.”
Setting off on Thursday 24th April from St James’ Church, where his wife is buried, James’ cycle ride will see him stopping at Morrisons supermarkets en-route for London.
He’ll arrive in the capital on Saturday 26th April, hours before tackling his very first marathon the next day.
Two years ago James and three friends cycled from Lands End to John’ O’Groats, and last year with two friends rode the height of Everest.
During ‘Tandem to the Thames’, James and his supporters will be stopping at Morrisons stores during his 500km ride including Wetherby, Gainsborough, Lincoln, Spalding, St Ives (Cambridgeshire) and London Stratford.
Matthew White, Executive Director of Engagement at Blood Cancer UK said:
"Blood cancer is the UK’s third biggest cancer killer, yet it often doesn’t receive the same level of attention as other cancers.
“James’s determination to turn grief, into a positive force to fund critical research into blood cancer is truly inspiring.
“Thanks to fundraisers like him, we are getting closer towards kinder treatments and ultimately saving lives.
“But there is still much more to do, and support from the public is crucial in making this life-changing research possible.”
Follow James Badger’s journey on Instagram here or head to his JustGiving page to contribute to his campaign.
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