SWINDON College lecturers fundraising for the two-wheeled challenge of a lifetime raised £165 at a special event.

Seven lecturers, including one or two who have never cycled before, will be getting on their bikes this summer as they pedal their way to the Champs-Élysées in Paris.

They hope to complete the 300-mile route - which will take the team down to Portsmouth before catching the overnight ferry to France - to raise money for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance and Prospect Hospice.

On Saturday their pedal power only took them as far as Go Outdoors in Ocotal Way, where they set up a turbo trainer and opened up the climbing wall to help raise the funds.

“It went really well,” said Keith Leonard, who is one of the team taking part in the challenge this July.

“We raised £165 in the end. Go Outdoors did say it was one of their quieter weekends so we are pleased we managed to raise the money.”

The generous donations of shoppers raised the group’s total to between £3,500 and £4,000, although there is still some way to go.

Keith said: “Fundraising is generally going quite well. There has been a lot of support from students at Swindon College and some businesses so we are on the way now.

“Go Outdoors have been fantastic with all their support as well.”

Team member Gerald Kane said the whole team, who have never cycled together as a group, are now looking forward to the trip.

He said: “None of us have cycled altogether as a group before so I think we are looking forward to that. Some of us have done shorter rides together but we’ve never trained as one big group.

“Some of them going have never really cycled before, and haven’t gone for more than 30 miles, so it is definitely going to be a challenge.”

To find out more about the challenge or how you can sponsor the team and offer your support, you can email VictoriaCampbell@swindon.ac.uk