24-hour pedal people – hospital staff raise £2k in cycle challenge

The stroke rehabilitation team at Montagu Hospital in Mexborough completed the 24-hour cycle, with 24 participating staff members taking it in turns to keep the pedal power going for a full day.

Daniel Wheater, stroke rehabilitation therapy team lead at Montagu Hospital, said: “I asked the team if they fancied a 24-hour bike ride.

"After a few concerned looks they all said ‘yes!’

“We swapped tunics for jerseys and paperwork for pedals and channelled the energy of our hard-working patients.”

Paired up, the team were allocated two-hour slots and cycled one hour each.

With sweets and snacks as motivation, staff used three bikes to ensure a smooth handover.

“Most just cycled for the whole two hours with the odd leg stretch or to stand to relieve the numb bum,” Daniel said.

“They smashed it.”

Particularly difficult were the late night and early morning legs between 11pm and 7am.

“We often push our patients within therapy,” said Daniel, “so, in turn, we were pushing ourselves.

“It was challenging but rewarding, much like our jobs.”

The funds raised will be used to procure an accessible potting bench and enhance the balcony area for patients to engage in purposeful activity and provide a space that will enhance wellbeing.

last year the team last year raised £920 during their ‘virtual’ 1189-mile journey.

The undertaking saw 14 team members walk, run, cycle, and swim the distance of Land’s End to John O’Groats in just eight weeks.

The funds raised were put towards a specialist bariatric wheelchair.

Suzy Brain England OBE, chair of the board at Doncaster and Bassetlaw NHS Teaching Hospitals Founation Trust , said: “Dedication is the word that comes to mind when describing the fundraising efforts of the Stroke Rehabilitation Team.

“Not content with only providing excellent care, they have gone beyond the duties of their roles and are intent on giving their patients the best possible rehabilitation.

“The team treat patients as they would family members and their unwavering compassion is a testament to their unity as a team.”