Lancaster gym team all set to take on epic Kilimanjaro to Tanzania charity cycle challenge

3-1-5 Health Club’s general manager Deena Gillan, swim school manager Lauren Akister, business support manager Helen Parkinson and owner Sean Thornton will spend six days riding from Kilimanjaro base camp to the coast of Tanzania, and are looking for sponsors to help them raise funds for the Royal Lancaster Infirmary Cardiac Unit.

The off-road challenge forms part of a year of fundraising by the health club, which made Bay Hospitals Charity its designated cause for 2022.

Deena said: “We decided to support Bay Hospitals Charity because our own mission is to make people in the local area more active and more healthy to reduce the strain on the NHS.

“We’re all self-funding the trip to Tanzania so every penny that’s donated will go to the charity.”

The group have been training hard for their adventure by cycling in the Lancaster area as well as using the health club’s spinning bikes.

Deena said: “Working full time and with two children, finding time to fit in the training hasn’t been easy but I wanted to do this as a challenge before I turn 40.”

The team at 3-1-5 has already raised around £4,500 for Bay Hospitals Charity so far this year with a series of sponsored events and activities.

Bay Hospitals Charity funds the latest equipment for University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust to help make patients more comfortable and ensure they get the best possible care and treatment.

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust Non-Executive Director, Adrian Leather, said: “Cycling from Kilimanjaro to the coast sounds like an incredible challenge, and I would like to thank the 3-1-5 team for supporting such an important cause.

“As well as raising money for our hospitals, I hope their ride will inspire others to discover the health benefits of regular exercise.”

To donate to the team’s fundraising total, please go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/deena-gillan

To donate and support your local NHS hospital, contact Bay Hospitals Charity on 01524 516064 or email [email protected]