A TEAM of Rolls-Royce workers are riding nearly 1,000 miles to raise money for cancer charity Macmillan.
Five colleagues from the submarines division of the company will be riding from Land's End to John O'Groats, raising thousands of pounds along the way.
All of the team have been affected by cancer but, for Ian McWilliams, the ride has special significance.
Ian, 29, said: "I was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 25. To say it was a shock is an understatement.
"I was in the shower one day and felt a lump where a lump shouldn't have been.
"I went to the doctors, who referred me to the hospital and they told me it was cancerous.
"I had to have an operation to remove one of my testicles and then went through one bout of chemotherapy.
"I was lucky as we caught it early and it could be stopped."
Ian, who was born and raised in Mickleover, and still lives there, knows how much support Macmillan gives to people suffering from the condition and their families.
He is confident the team will have the stamina to complete their journey.
He said: "This is the biggest challenge that any of us have undertaken and we are all really up for it.
"I did some smaller events once I was back up to fitness but this will be far and away the most ambitious.
"For me it has been a case of getting out on the bike as much as possible and increasing the mileage."
The group will be averaging 72 miles a day over 14 days, covering 983 miles in total. Once out of Cornwall, they will travel up the west side of the country, through the Lake District, passing Loch Lomond before branching north-east to their finish.
The challenge begins on Saturday morning and has already raised more than £3,000.
It has been organised by Chris Boyles, 52, of West Hallam. He said: "I rode from Edinburgh to Derby and I knew then that the next thing I wanted to do was this trip.
"I organised it and then the other chaps came on board.
"I try to do something to raise money every other year. I lost my dad and sister-in-law to cancer and my niece is just coming through treatment now, so the charity has a real significance for me.
"I know that we will be able to do the mileage, we just need to make sure that we are eating and drinking correctly and we will be fine.
"But we wouldn't be able to do any of this without the help of White Lanes Lettings and Dignity who have helped fund parts of the trip."
Fellow rider Luke Urquhart, 32, of Alvaston, said: "My wife, Sally, works in the oncology department of the Royal Derby Hospital so I am riding for them, as well as Macmillan.
"I love riding but this is by far the most I will have done."
To donate to the team, visit www.justgiving.com/derbylejogpeddlers.
joey.severn@derbytelegraph.co.uk
