During September, Bill Main, retired veterinary surgeon and current captain of the Herefordshire Golf Course; Matthew Pugh and Andrew Cooke, veterinary partners at Belmont Farm and Equine; and local farmer Mervyn Thomas cycled 95 miles from Hereford to Aberystwyth, raising just over £7,000 for local rural mental health charity We are Farming Minds.
Mr Thomas said: "We were very lucky to have beautiful weather which made the day much easier for us. We followed the River Wye from Hay-on-Wye upstream to Builth Wells and onto its source, then had 70 miles of steady climbing ahead of us. There was fantastic scenery over the hills and a fast descent to the seaside. We were very tired but happy to finish the challenge. I want to say a big thank you to everyone for their support and generosity."
The riders have all known people in the farming and veterinary communities who have struggled with their mental health, so the charity is very close to their hearts. We Are Farming Minds provides a 24-hour support line, funding for professional counselling, free mental health training, resources and advice, plus various social events. More information can be found at wearefarmingminds.co.uk
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