The ride, which started in the Italian capital of Rome and concluded at Hope House, involved the crossing of many testing areas including The Alps and Mount Ventoux, a 16 mile long, 6000ft uphill summit climb usually covered by riders in the Tour de France.

Andrew was one of a group of 18 riders involved in the cycling challenge and he has previous experience as he also took part in the Ride 4 Hope charity ride in 2008. Although it was one of the most challenging experiences he has ever undergone, he says that it was well worth the effort.

“We did the ride to raise money for the kids and to try and make their lives a bit better. We also wanted to help the families of ‘terminally ill’ children cope with what must be a very difficult and trying time. I have just ridden over 1500 miles or so, lost my phone, stayed in some horrible hotels, feel tired and have missed my family, but my life is easy compared to those who have to go through such suffering.”

GM Fundraising has for the last 7 years focused its efforts on raising money for Hope House Children’s Hospices as they receive very little support from the government and most of their operating costs are met through charitable donations.

Although the ride has now been completed there is still time for you to make a donation so that GM Fundraising can meet their target of £55,000. Just visit www.justgiving.com/rome-2-home.

The Story
Valerie Lepedat, 66 was diagnosed with breast cancer ten years ago and she has been courageously fighting the disease ever since. After Val’s first cancer surgery at Doncaster Royal infirmary she joined the Patient Focus Group. Val thought her medical and nursing treatment was excellent but the compassion and added support that she felt she needed at such a time was missing.  This inspired Val and a fellow member of the Patient Focus Group, Lynne Rothwell to do something to help all cancer patients. Val and Lynne came up with the concept of The Aurora Center a dedicated unit offering free treatments to improve the quality of life for cancer patients.

The Aurora Centre’s aim is to boost the self esteem and self confidence of patients whilst undergoing and recovering from related treatments of cancer. The Centre offers a wide range of professional beauty therapy treatments to improve body image for female and male patients suffering from the effects of cancer and the side effects of its treatment. Patents can book pamper days, therapeutic massage, skin care and make-up advice, reflexology and advice on hair loss by one full time and two part time therapists that are specially trained to deal with the effects of cancer treatment.

Aurora Centre, Doncaster

Often a patient will not only lose their hair as a result of radio therapy but also their eyebrows, eyelashes and the skin can often change colour. The Aurora Center offers free therapies that resolve all these side effects. It has been recognised that improving a person’s sense of well-being will dramatically improve their chances of overcoming their illness. The center also offers its services for free to the patient’s family and carers as they also need a little more care during the patient’s treatment. The Centre employs 5 full and part time staff everyone else involved is a volunteer.

Val is a co-founder and the leading volunteer of Aurora and has built the center over the past 7 years to the point where it now gives its services free to over 500 patients a year. The Centre is totally funded by donation but the premises are owned by the NHS and are on hospital sites as the NHS fully endorse what Aurora is doing. Val is involved not only in the day to day running of the Centre but also with its three major fundraising events each year, a large fashion show (all the models are Aurora patents often wearing clothes that don’t hide the physical damage of cancer and its treatment) a golf tournament and a fun run along with a constant itinerary of small fund raising tasks.

The Aurora Centre at the Doncaster Infirmary has been so successful that Val and the Aurora team have opened a second Centre at the Mexborough Montague Hospital about 10 miles from Doncaster. The team also has plans to open a Centre in Manchester next year.

Jayne, Val’s nominator said “I cannot quantify the number of hours Val puts into the charity each and every week or the many compromises she must have made to her own family life in order to support Aurora, but Val does this very quietly and humbly avoiding recognition and reward when in reality she is to many ‘the face of Aurora’”

Aurora Centre in Doncaster, Orangery

West Yorkshire Windows Donation
West Yorkshire Windows in Wakefield & Leeds supplied, built and fitted a new Orangery for the Aurora Centre that was finished at the end of November.  The Orangery will be used as a Reception area for the cancer sufferers and an area to relax.  On Sunday, Val got to see it for the first time.  Through out the entire build, she didn’t know anything about it.  The other part of her present was a trip to Tenerife with her family, including her son that flew over from Australia to see her.

As you can imagine, Val and everyone at the Aurora Centre were over the moon with their new Orangery installed by West Yorkshire Windows.

To view the Orangery designed and built by West Yorkshire Windows – you can watch the show on Sky 1 on December the 20th.

About West Yorkshire Windows
West Yorkshire Windows is the leading home improvement company operating throughout Yorkshire. Installing the latest range of Conservatory & Orangery designs accompanied with a range of energy efficient Double Glazing Windows & UPVC Doors.

To find out more about West Yorkshire Windows you can visit their fabulous showrooms in Wakefield or Leeds or if you prefer, call free on 0800 026 4455.

The Ride 4 Hope team consists of 12 cyclists from the glazing, construction and related industries, each having spent nearly 18 months training for this important and worthy challenge.

The 3000 mile bike ride from the East Coast to the West Coast of the USA has been a gruelling event, but for a very worthy cause.

Many of the cyclists will have already completed the Top 2 Bottom ride in 2005 which was a 974 mile trip from John O’Groats to Lands End. In 2006 several of the team also completed the Tower 2 Tower ride from Eiffel Tower, Paris to Blackpool Tower. Each of the Ride 4 Hope riders will demonstrate a commitment to achieving both personal goals and those for the raising of important funds for Hope House Children’s Hospices.

Hope House is a children’s hospice organisation providing care for terminally ill children and support for their families. Hope House has two hospices – at Oswestry, Shropshire and Conwy, North Wales – and also offers care in the family home. Support and counselling is offered to parents and other family members for as long as necessary.

Andrew has been updating the Conservatory Outlet team with daily emails, and today he’s relieved to have completed the challenge.

Well done Andrew and John!!