From Orkney to Lewis in 24 hours as ‘Oordaniel’ charity cycle team continue fundraising challenge

They had cycled 140 miles in 24 hours, travelling across Scotland from the Orkney isles to the Western Isles, as the NHS Ayrshire & Arran ‘Oordaniel’ charity cycle team visited Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway on Friday, September 28^th.

“That’s been the toughest day so far,” said cyclist Paul Gilmour. “We left Orkney at 4am yesterday, escorted at some pace to the ferry by the Orkney Cycle team.

“We reached Thurso and then carried on to about twenty miles past Lairg where we slept in the van for around three hours before setting off again at 5am this morning to make the Ullapool ferry.

“Making it to the ferries on time has been the biggest challenge,” he continued. “And the road Ullapool was all up and down terrain so it was hard going, but we were pleasantly surprised then by the nice new ferry and it was a good crossing today.”

The six-strong cycle team, all nursing staff with NHS Ayrshire & Arran, set off from Woodland View, Ayrshire Central Hospital, Irvine, on September 22^nd to cycle around 800 miles and visit all 14 NHSScotland health board areas within ten days to raise funds and awareness for children’s cancer charities CLIC Sergeant, Calum’s Cabin and the Neuroblastoma Society amongst others.

“The reception has been excellent everywhere we have gone,” said Paul. “We’ve had some great welcomes and it’s been excellent to meet other NHS staff everywhere we’ve gone.”

NHS Western Isles is the eighth health board area to be visited by the ‘Oordaniel’ riders – named after Paul’s son Daniel, who sadly lost his battle with the childhood cancer Neuroblastoma when he was only four years old.

And after a quick tea and cake pit-stop and tour around Western Isles Hospital, the team continued their challenge, cycling up and over the Clisham to make it to Tarbert, Harris, before heading across to Skye and on home through NHS Highland, NHS Great Glasgow and Clyde, and NHS Lanarkshire.

You can find out more and donate to the NHS Ayrshire & Arran ‘Oordaniel’ cyclists at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/oordaniel