Cyclists raise £50,000 for charity in ride to Paris

A team of 50 cyclists has raised a record £50,000 for a homeless charity after cycling more than 350 miles (560 km) to Paris in four days.

They were taking part in Ride4Hope, a challenge organised by the Northampton Hope Centre, which supports the homeless and people in need.

This year's event from the town to the French capital marked the 50th anniversary of the Hope Centre - and this year's fundraising total is the biggest yet.

Among those taking part were former Northampton Saints and British Lions Rugby player Nick Beal and former Saints head coach David James Mallender.

The team set off from Northampton's Mercure Hotel on Thursday and arrived in Paris on Sunday.

Along the way, they experienced punctures, blisters and a range of weather conditions.

The charity's chief executive, Alex Copeland, joined the ride at the last minute and with little training.

He said: "It has been very challenging, but every time I struggled, I thought about how many people the money raised through this event would support.

"My challenges on this cycle are nothing compared to the difficulties our service users face. This is why we are here, and this is why we need to raise this money."

The money raised will support services provided by the Hope Centre, which include a homeless support hub, at a time where demand has increased.

Mr Copeland said: "We are already seeing double the number of people accessing our services, and we expect even greater demand during the winter months, when the need for our help becomes even more urgent, especially as we work to prevent deaths on the streets."

The Hope Centre began as a voluntary soup kitchen in 1974 and has expanded to offer a range of services for people who are homeless or experiencing hardship.

It aims to help people live sustainably and address the causes of their hardship.

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