Scottish Catholic Observer

Two Scots are joining young Catholics from across the country on a mammoth bike ride covering the length of the UK this summer to bear witness to their Faith and raise money for various charities.

Mary’s Meals, African Mission and the St Pio’s Friary in Bradford are just some of the charities that will benefit from money raised by the Land’s End 2012 adventure

Scots on track

The two young cyclists from Scotland, who will each journey 600 miles to the finish point in Land’s End, are set to depart from Glasgow today.

Andrew Robertson, 20 and Cameron Armstrong, 16, (right) a pupil of St Thomas of Aquin’s High School in Edinburgh, have each vowed to offer morning prayer for all those who have given generously to the charities.

This is the first time both of the youngsters have participated in such a trip, but they have commented that ‘it will give us time for deep prayer and reflection whilst showing a real conviction to their faith.’

Mary’s Meals provides children in the developing world with a daily meal in their place of education. African Mission is a small UK-based charity that has specific projects throughout Africa, such as providing support for medical and educational schemes.

Closer to home, Andrew Robertson spoke of a soup kitchen in Edinburgh, which offers a meal to the poor and needy, six days a week and survives off very few donations. Andrew, who has helped out at the soup kitchen, said: “Never have I seen such a devoted love to God’s people than the sisters show and an unbelievable trust in God that He will provide to the sisters each day as they go on with their excellent work each day.”

Organisers

Land’s End 2012 is the brainchild of Anna-Marie and Gregory Treloar, who were part of a sibling-trio that cycled from London to Rome in 2010.

This time, they have turned their attention closer to home and have invited people to join them to cycle for whatever distance they can manage on the challenge.

Anna-Marie, 21, a medicine student in Yorkshire, said she hopes the trip ‘will help us to bear witness to our own Faith, as well as supporting some wonderful work that goes on within the Church.’

Anna Marie was one of the first cyclists to depart on day one of the trip, Sunday July 1, and is set to cycle a total of 1250 miles. The entire group is scheduled to arrive at Land’s End on the evening of Sunday July 20 and, the following day, they will then cycle to the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Penzance and attend Mass at 12noon.

“We are planning several prayer evenings on our route to pray for the re-evangelisation of the UK, and involve others who are not able to cycle with us, in the spiritual focus of the trip,” she said ahead of her departure.

“We are going to pray together each day of the trip, which will culminate in Mass which we will celebrate together with the parish of Penzance on our arrival.

“I am really looking forward to visiting many beautiful places for the first time.”

Gregory, 18, who is studying for his A-levels, said: “I am really excited about this cycling trip, not only because it is such an iconic achievement, but also because we will be taking in the amazing countryside of Great Britain, and won’t have the challenge of crossing any language barriers.”

— For more details about the project, visit http://tolandsend2012.blogspot.co.uk/, and to sponsor the riders go to http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/tolandsend2012

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