Wiltshire airmen's charity cycle (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Wiltshire airmen's charity cycle

8:44am Friday 7th November 2008

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Five members of the Air Despatch Squadron in Lyneham are gearing up to cycle through Death Valley in aid of Help for Heroes.

Graham Oatley, Colin Hughes, Steve Francis, Ian Ingram and Michael Burn will cycle over 300 miles from California to Las Vegas in four days.

Cpl Hughes, 29, said: “We are really looking forward to going even though we know it will be a challenge.

“It will be hard because it will be so hot. We aim to cycle between 60 and 80 miles each day so we will need to set off before the sun rises and finish before the heat gets unbearable.”

The men will fly to California on November 19 and start the challenge five days later.

Staff sergeant Oakley, 36, said: “We were going out there on a training exercise anyway because the mountainous conditions and the heat are similar to Afghanistan.

“When we land we will have a couple of days to get used to the climate and conditions before we set off.

“This is a good opportunity to raise money for such a worthy cause, which unfortunately one of us might need one day.”

Earlier this year the group cycled 874 miles from John O’Groats to Lands End and are already planning their next fundraiser.

Sgt Francis, 31, said: “The John O’Groats to Lands End cycle was basically our training for this one. It is hectic trying to fit in any other training around work.

“We plan to do the Race Across America in June next year. A team of eight will race from the east to west coast covering about 3,000 miles.”

Help for Heroes supports servicemen and women wounded in the line of duty in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

For more information about the charity or to sponsor the Death Valley cycle group click on the links on the right.

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