Covid-19 Restrictions Mean Challenge Held At Home

A Manchester-based lawyer swapped the hills of Tuscany for the English countryside as she embarked on a 66-mile bicycle ride to raise awareness of the Spinal Injuries Association.

Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day took place on 15 May, and legal expert Cathy Leech of law firm Irwin Mitchell was among a host of people taking part in fund-raising activities.

Cathy was scheduled to be taking part in a 66-mile bike ride in the Italian region of Tuscany, but due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions she had to complete the cycle locally.

She began the Ride Italia At Home challenge on May 14, with many of her teammates participating virtually.  It took Cathy just over five hours to complete - cycling around Cheshire. 

Prior to the ride, a Bicycle Ball was held, which raised £5,000 to support the event.

Expert Opinion

“This year’s event wasn’t quite what we planned but we were determined not to let the lockdown stop us from completing it.

“The Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) is such an important charity and it was incredible to be able to do this for them at this challenging time.

“The ride itself was tough but I enjoyed it. While I was cycling alone, I was joined virtually by all the others who carried out the challenge at home and around the UK.

“Martin Hibbert and Gary Dawson rode day 1 on their hand-cycles. Martin was spinal-injured in the Manchester Arena Bombing and was supported by Gary post-injury. Gary is also paraplegic and he works for the Spinal Injuries Association supporting spinal cord injured people and their families. Gary went on to complete 200 miles on his own which was amazing. This inspired the rest of us, and the pair have raised over £15,000 so far!”
Catherine Leech - Partner

Upon completing the challenge, Martin said: “Thank you to everyone who has supported Gary and I, whether you took part, made a donation, shared our posts, or cheered us both on through our challenge.  It all goes a long way towards making the world a better place for people living with paralysis.”

Anyone that would like to make a donation can do so via Martin and Gary’s JustGiving page.

The Spinal Injuries Association is a charity that provide services and support to people affected by spinal cord injuries.