Friends cancel Africa charity bike ride after fall (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Friends cancel Africa charity bike ride after fall

10:05am Tuesday 24th January 2012 in Winchester By Warwick Payne

TWO friends have been forced to put the brakes on a charity cycle ride in Kenya.

It came after one of them suffered a nasty fall and broke several bones just a few weeks before the trip.

Having already raised more than £9,000 they are now gearing up for a fresh challenge later this year.

Mother-of-three Mandy Gilbert, landlady of the Dolphin Inn at Hursley near Winchester, was due to ride 400km across Kenya next month (February).

Shortly before Christmas she suffered a fall and cracked several ribs and broke her coccyx.

She was due to go to Africa with her friend, Sam Victoria. She is a mother-of-two from Standon, Hursley, who runs the My Little Explorers outdoor school.

Now they are lining up a fresh challenge by targeting a similar ride in November in India.

They money raised will go to the Women V Cancer campaign. It will benefit three charities, which are Breast Cancer Care, Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust and Ovarian Cancer Action The friends originally set a target of £6,000, but thanks to several successful fund-raising events, it has already been beaten.

The fundraising campaign has included a quiz, barn dance, hog roast and a large donation from Twyford Pre-Prep School.