Mammoth cycle ride helps raise funds for Uganda schools

A mammoth sponsored cycle ride to 'virtually' pedal to Uganda has raised an incredible £36,000.

As previously reported, a team of senior healthcare workers and supporters got on their bikes with the aim of jointly cycling 6,480 miles last month to help raise funds to build a school for the deaf in Uganda. But they went even further than that to help raise the remarkable sum.

Drs Richard and Joanna Bircher, from Lockside Medical Centre on Huddersfield Road in Stalybridge, were joined by others to ‘virtually’ pedal all the way from Manchester to Kampala, the capital city of Uganda.

The initiative was organised by The Manchester charity Helping Uganda Schools (HUGS) - which Dr Richard Bircher (Tameside Radio’s very own Dr Ric) now chairs. In total 35 cyclists joined in the effort. 

They were raising funds to help complete the construction of a new school for children with hearing impairments and other disabilities. 

Dr Tim Dowling, from Dukinfield Medical Practice, and Jess Williams, senior NHS Manager from Tameside Clinical Commissioning Group joined Drs Richard and Joanne Bircher to contribute more than 1,000 miles to the target distance.

Encouraged by generous support, the team excelled all expectations; they travelled 11,000 miles in total and raised all the money - the £36,000 - to complete the school.

Sadly, children in Uganda with disabilities are rarely educated and can be marginalised and bullied. 

But Helping Uganda Schools has already demonstrated the tremendous value of helping children who would otherwise be marginalised to benefit from education. 

For ten years ago they developed a special needs school, in Uganda, called Good Shepherd School. With a safe environment, targeted teaching and good food, the children flourish: the school’s end of year exam results are now clearly better than national averages. Disabled children are helped to become productive adults and enter into good careers and succeed.

It is easy to make a difference.

The new school - called St Frances the Sales - is now being built in the town of Jinja.

The local team would like to thank everyone who helped them on their journey and you can view a video which tells you all about the project here...

The fundraising page remains open and further donations are welcomed at virginmoneygiving.com/fund/BigUgandaCycleRid