Burnley man's 128-mile charity cycle raises £1,500 for Pendleside Hospice

A man from Read has raised almost £1,500 after completing a Tour de France-esque 127.5-mile cycle which saw him tackle the entire length of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in a calf-busting 15-hour fundraiser for Pendleside Hospice.
Steve Neary with colleagues at the DWP and Hospice Fundraiser Leah Hutchinson presenting their cheque.Steve Neary with colleagues at the DWP and Hospice Fundraiser Leah Hutchinson presenting their cheque.
Steve Neary with colleagues at the DWP and Hospice Fundraiser Leah Hutchinson presenting their cheque.

The hospice expressed their heartfelt thanks to Steve Neary, who works for The Department of Work & Pensions in Burnley, for his sterling efforts in July earlier this year when he set off at 5am and was cheered on by friends and family who gave him food, drinks, and moral support at 15 different mile markers all along the route including at Top Lock Wheelton where he stopped for a hearty lunch.

Admirably supported by his colleagues from the Department for Work & Pensions, who have also been donating to Pendleside now for two years after choosing the hospice as their designated Charity of the Year, Steve has raised funds for Pendleside for a while, with his two aunties both having received care are the hospice and his close friend Derek Roberts having also been an in-patient there.

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“Pendleside is such a worthy cause and I am delighted to be able to fundraise for them in this way," said Steve, who chairs the Sports & Social Club at the DWP and raised £1,464.42 and counting. "I’ve visited the hospice and had a tour, and I can see all the work done by them and understand how important it is to the community.”

At one point along the cycle - for which a friend provided live Facebook updates - Steve met a generous man called Kevin Kenny from Bootle, who was on his canal boat and kindly donated £20 to the cause just from hearing Steve’s story, with Pendleside saying of Steve's challenge: "Steve’s fundraising efforts have been fantastic for Pendleside Hospice and we are very grateful for all his continued support.

"Well done Steve!" they added.