10 September 2009

Will Dixon, 14 and Helen Biggerstaff, both from St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church, Great Missenden, set off from Workington in the Lake District on August 22. They cycled over the Lakeland Fells, and along the Pennines to Sunderland, finishing at White Haven, back in the Lake District at 2pm on August 28.

Will’s mum, Margaret Dixon, who provided a support vehicle for the trip, said: ‘There were 55mph gusts of wind, a wind chill factor of minus five degrees and heavy rain, which is not really the weather you expect in August. I think the hardest part for Will was that as soon as you got up 1,900 feet, then come down to find you have to start another hard climb.’

The money raised will be used for a scheme to build solar panels in the village school and the church. ‘We are just waiting for planning permission for the school, and going through the process of getting permission to install the panels in the church,’ said Margaret, who is governor with responsibility for the environment at Great Missenden CE Primary School. She is also heavily involved with the church’s prayer group for environmental issues and its scheme to become an Eco Congregation.