Biker Mark’s 1,000 mile charity ride

The remarkable mental and physical challenges that people undertake to raise funds for Francis House never cease to amaze us.

Mark Towler from Dukinfield certainly put his own comfort on the back seat by completing a gruelling 24 hour endurance ride covering over 1,000 miles on his motorcycle raising more than £1,230 for Francis House.

Mark, 64, a licensed aircraft engineer and experienced long-distance rider, set off for Scotland in the early hours of Saturday, August 1. Riding through the darkness he stopped for fuel in Dunbarton before continuing up to Fort William, Inverness, Wick, taking in the scenery of John O’Groats for a small rest break, onto Thurso, Perth, Edinburgh and Jedburgh before heading back to Hyde via Leeds.

Mark completed the challenge in just 18-and-a-half hours, negotiating fog and rain and navigating diversions and road closures to arrive back at Jack’s Bar in Hyde on Saturday evening where he was greeted by friends, family, and fellow bikers.

Mark said: “I made it. Eighteen-and-a-half hours, gruelling weather, a very sore backside, and exactly 1,038 miles later, the endurance ride for Francis House Children’s Hospice is officially complete.

“Pushing through the night is still one of the hardest things of the ride but knowing I had everyone’s backing kept my wheels turning.”

Francis House supports more than 435 families from across Greater Manchester providing holistic care in a home from home environment to the families of children and young adults with life-shortening or life-threatening conditions.

Julie Williams, fundraising manager of Francis House congratulated Mark on completing his ambitious challenge, adding: “We are incredibly grateful to Mark for taking on this epic challenge to support Francis House. Every mile, lack of sleep and every pound raised helps us continue providing care and support to local families when they need it most. Mark’s determination is truly inspiring, and we can’t thank you enough.”

Mark only came up with the idea for the fundraiser a few weeks before the ride which he self-funded in order that 100 percent of the donations went directly to the hospice. To prepare for the impressive challenge he averaged 700 miles-per-week to build up his endurance.

Mark added: “To support Francis House I pushed myself to the absolute limit. A 1,000-mile journey in a single day requires relentless focus, physical endurance, and round-the-clock navigation. It mirrors the exhausting, non-stop reality faced by the families Francis House supports every single day. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the donations, messages and support. We did it.”

To donate to Mark’s JustGiving page visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/mark-towler-1