Carmarthen lads raise charity cash
Four Carmarthen school pupils have raised £1,250 for Children in Need by cycling from the town centre to Cardiff.
Joe Parfitt and his friends Ieuan Parry, Max Boothby and Orion Cotton, built up their stamina for their marathon ride by training at Carmarthen Leisure Centre.
Local member Cllr Steve Dunn approached Carmarthenshire County Council Chief Executive Mark James who gave the boys special dispensation to train for free at the leisure centre gym.
The boys, all Year 10 pupils at QE High School, trained for about a month before their ride.
Joe’s mum Sandy said: “The boys had a brilliant trainer in Richard Cheney, who is a fitness instructor at the leisure centre, and he gave them lots of tips and inspired them.
“It was great that they had free use of the leisure centre because they were indoors and safe rather than cycling on the roads after dark.
“They set out for Cardiff at 8am and arrived there just after 6pm which was a fantastic time. They only stopped for 10 minutes at a time. The last 20 miles was a long drag uphill but there was no walking and pushing, they rode all the way.”
The boys are already planning something even more ambitious in 2010.
Sandy said: “Next year the boys are going to pick a local charity and hope to cycle around Wales in two or three days.”
They wanted to thank Cllr Dunn, Chief Executive Mark James, head of leisure Ian Jones, Neil Hunt of Towy Riders, and Tesco, Morrison’s, County Cycles and Percy and Ball, who gave support.
Cllr Steve Dunn said: “The boys have done well and raised a lot of money and I’m pleased that the council was able to provide them with training facilities.”
Chief executive Mark James said: “It is a very worthwhile cause. I was more than happy to authorise free access to Joseph and his three friends to train at the leisure centre after school each day.
“I would like to congratulate them for their efforts which raised so much for Children in Need.”
Joe Parfitt and his friends Ieuan Parry, Max Boothby and Orion Cotton, built up their stamina for their marathon ride by training at Carmarthen Leisure Centre.
Local member Cllr Steve Dunn approached Carmarthenshire County Council Chief Executive Mark James who gave the boys special dispensation to train for free at the leisure centre gym.
The boys, all Year 10 pupils at QE High School, trained for about a month before their ride.
Joe’s mum Sandy said: “The boys had a brilliant trainer in Richard Cheney, who is a fitness instructor at the leisure centre, and he gave them lots of tips and inspired them.
“It was great that they had free use of the leisure centre because they were indoors and safe rather than cycling on the roads after dark.
“They set out for Cardiff at 8am and arrived there just after 6pm which was a fantastic time. They only stopped for 10 minutes at a time. The last 20 miles was a long drag uphill but there was no walking and pushing, they rode all the way.”
The boys are already planning something even more ambitious in 2010.
Sandy said: “Next year the boys are going to pick a local charity and hope to cycle around Wales in two or three days.”
They wanted to thank Cllr Dunn, Chief Executive Mark James, head of leisure Ian Jones, Neil Hunt of Towy Riders, and Tesco, Morrison’s, County Cycles and Percy and Ball, who gave support.
Cllr Steve Dunn said: “The boys have done well and raised a lot of money and I’m pleased that the council was able to provide them with training facilities.”
Chief executive Mark James said: “It is a very worthwhile cause. I was more than happy to authorise free access to Joseph and his three friends to train at the leisure centre after school each day.
“I would like to congratulate them for their efforts which raised so much for Children in Need.”
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