Trio to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats for CLAPA
Sam, Ben and Nick – aka The Engine, The Red Squirrel, and The Drafter – are setting out to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats (LEJOG) and raise funds for CLAPA, on Saturday, August 16.
They plan to complete all 922 miles in seven days, cycling around 140 miles a day. And before
they’ve hit the first mile, they’ve overshot their £4,000 fundraising target by more than £1,000.
They’ve been training through all weathers, including this summer’s intense heatwaves.
Sam laughed: “We don’t want it too hot, and we don’t want a headwind, and we don’t want rain. I’m sure something’s gonna hit us weather wise, between Cornwall and the top of Scotland.”
A firefighter for West Yorkshire Fire Service, 36-year-old Sam is cycling for CLAPA in thanks for the help received after his two sons, Finlay and Cameron, were both born with a cleft palate.
“It’s been a no brainer to raise money for such a brilliant charity.”
“My family has found so much comfort and support from CLAPA, especially on the parents’ Facebook group, with people going through the same thing as us. It’s been a no brainer to raise money for such a brilliant charity.
“We started planning this LEJOG sat in the pub last October, and then I’d say from January we started ticking off the miles and training for it specifically.
“My wife came up with the idea of the nick names, it was just a bit of a mick-taking thing of our personalities, and now we’ve all created a profile of them on social media.”
The cyclists are all friends from school. They started out as a group of four but unfortunately Jacko – aka The Shire Horse – had to pull out due to family and work commitments, although he will be joining them on two of the legs.
They’ll be supported along the way by Sam’s Dad Lenny and his Aunty Janice.
“There’s been a few little niggles along the way. Nick’s had a bit of an ankle injury, but he’s a bit of an over thinker so he’s always got an injury risk – he likes to put a little feeler out there, just in case it all goes wrong. He’ll be fine.
“We’re all feeling very positive and excited to get on with it.”
“We’re all feeling very positive and excited to get on with it. We’ve put more miles on the bikes than ever, and lost a few pounds between us to get in shape!”
Sam and the others live near Leeds, and they’ve been training on the nearby Yorkshire Dales.
“The Tour de Yorkshire was here, and the Tour de France in 2014, so it’s very iconic and good for cycling.
“The Dales are pretty hilly, and the longest ride we’ve done is 160 miles – a coast to coast in a day, which we all felt fine after – so I’m confident we’ll be able to handle the LEJOG.
“People think Scotland is the hardest bit, but, talking to other people who’ve done it, they say the first day through Cornwall and Devon is the toughest – steep inclines that are probably going to fatigue the legs the most.”
Sam said he’s “really chuffed” with the support they’ve all received, and the sponsorship which has been “flying in”. A charity car wash for retired firefighters and a twinned charity, at the station where Sam works, brought in more than £700 (inc Gift Aid) for the LEJOG CLAPA appeal.
Sam and his wife Anna were directed to CLAPA by their cleft nurse, after their eldest son Finlay was diagnosed with a cleft palate at three months old.
“When Finlay was born, we were told everything was fine. Anna was very keen to breastfeed, but there was no suction. We were fobbed off, as Finlay struggled with feeding, losing weight, and had dry nappies.
“Then Anna noticed something one day when he yawned. Her aunty and great granddad were both born with a cleft lip, so Anna – who can be like a dog with a bone at times – was persistent, and pushed to get it sorted.”
They saw a paediatric consultant who diagnosed Finlay with a bifid uvula and complete soft cleft palate.
“He told us he’d worked in paediatrics for 35 years and had never seen one before.”
“He told us he’d worked in paediatrics for 35 years and had never seen one before. We were sad Finlay had an issue but so relieved he finally had a diagnosis. Since he’s been under the care of the cleft team at Leeds General Infirmary the treatment and contact has been amazing.
“He still has an unsafe, uncoordinated swallow, so we have to be careful with liquids, but he’s
doing great now. He’s three years old and so resilient.”
Sam and Anna were told the chance of their second child having a cleft palate was low, between three to five per cent.
“When Cameron was born in June last year, we were better prepared. Not long after he was born bubbles were coming from his nose – I mentioned it to Anna and we both knew straight away.
“Our fears were confirmed, and we were told he had a complete cleft of the hard and soft palate.”
“Our fears were confirmed, and we were told he had a complete cleft of the hard and soft palate.
“The wind felt like it’d been sucked from the room. I thought ‘here we go again’. But thankfully, 
because it was found at birth, the experience was completely different this time – we were kept in hospital to monitor feeding and referred to CLAPA again.”
Sam and Anna received a free CLAPA ‘Welcome Pack’, including a Dr Brown’s bottle and teat.
“That was a real game changer. Unfortunately, we never used that with Finlay because we missed out on the first three months before he was diagnosed.
“I’m being positive and hoping my children won’t have to have multiple operations in the future. We feel like we’re constantly at Leeds General at the moment, so many check-ups and everything,
“Without the support of CLAPA we would have felt very alone in this process, and that’s why I’m heading to Land’s End soon to raise money for them.”
“Without the support of CLAPA we would have felt very alone in this process, and that’s why I’m heading to Land’s End soon to raise money for them.
“I really appreciate my best mates, and their wives, for supporting me and Anna through all of this, and now putting in a huge effort to raise money for CLAPA, especially as they all have their own families and busy lives. We want to thank them massively.”
And as for the other two cyclists heading to Land’s End, Ben and Nick – The Red Squirrel and The Drafter.
Sam smiled: “I can tell they’re taking it seriously. We usually have a beer after a cycle ride, and now they’re saying, ‘I don’t think I’m going to drink all week’.”
To support the cyclists visit their JustGiving page
Good luck Sam, Ben and Nick!
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