Starting on 10th July, ex-Gordon Moody service user Paul Winder will be taking on The 2022 Pan Celtic cycle race to raise funds for Gordon Moody. The race is a self-supported, ultra-endurance bicycle ride, journeying through the Celtic Nations of Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, and Brittany. Each year the race follows a different route tackling stunning terrain and landscapes steeped in Celtic tradition.
The 2022 race
The 2022 race starts in at the Celtic Camping ground in south west Wales, travels down to Pembroke dock and then crosses over by ferry to Rosslare in southern Ireland. The race then heads west and starts hugging the coast northwards towards Bundoran before turning eastwards towards Dublin. A final ferry crossing to Holyhead and the race continues across Anglesey and up towards the finish in Llandudno. In total this breath-taking route covers a distance of 1,618 miles (2604km), with 65,850ft (20,701m) of elevation gain.
And if the sheer distance wasn’t enough, The Pan Celtic is a test of skill, knowledge, self-reliance and, in some respects, survival. It is not meant to be easy or comfortable and self-supported means you are not allowed to have anyone following you with food or a motorhome, and calling into a friends house for food and shelter is not allowed. Acquiring any food, drink or shelter must be universally accessible to all. So Paul could be sleeping in a field, phone box, or barn!
Raising funds
So why on earth is Paul taking on such a challenge? Not only to test his mental and physical strength but to also raise funds for Gordon Moody. Paul is an ex-gambling addict who came to Gordon Moody at the height of his addiction and successfully made it out the other side. He will be forever thankful to the Gordon Moody team for saving his life and taking on this mammoth challenge on our behalf is just one of the ways he is paying it forward.
Progress updates
Paul will be blogging on his Facebook group during the race and we will be sharing updates on our social channels.
Support Paul
You can support Paul by donating on his Just Giving page. All donations go straight to Gordon Moody.