Whilst many players looked to jet away for a well earned holiday at the end of the season, Steve Philips, Crewe Alexandra FC goalkeeper, got on his bike for charity.
Four days and 450 kilometres later Philips finished the London to Paris Bike Ride in aid of the Geoff Thomas Foundation into Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and the Caudwell Children’s Charity.
The Caudwell Children’s Charity provides family support services, equipment, treatment and therapies for disabled children and their families whilst Geoff Thomas has been a long time supporter of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.
For Philips the motivation to help was two-fold as he says; “I like cycling, I like a challenge, something to test me and this ride certainly did but most of all it was to give something back to the community and try and raise as much money as possible for two very worthy charities”.
With this goal in mind Philips has been involved in a series of fund raising events which by the time of the final event on the 27th July will have raised over £20,000 for the two charities and he was quick to praise all those involved as he says; “The whole fund raising campaign has been phenomenal and the generosity and willingness to help round the area and the football club itself has been nothing short of staggering”.
Philips continued; “The ride was a fantastic experience. All sorts of people did it. Fit, unfit, old and young and the commitment from everyone involved was really exceptional. The hardest part was getting out of London but the ride was very professionally organised and the attention to safety was spot on. It could not have run any smoother”.
“In France the roads where great with little traffic and at every village we travelled through people lined the streets cheering and clapping us on. You get to Paris and the road leading to the Arc de Triomphe is closed to traffic and everybody is waving, beeping their horns and clapping and then you turn right to finish at the Eiffel Tower.
Philips added; “Now those are special moments and at the end the emotion comes out of everyone. There were a lot of tears but it was a happy emotion. It’s been an absolutely truly magnificent experience and it will stay with me forever, even though I’m going to do it for the next twenty years – it was that good”.
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