Former soldier from Droitwich to undertake 300-mile bike ride to First World War graves for the Royal British Legion - The Droitwich Standard

Former soldier from Droitwich to undertake 300-mile bike ride to First World War graves for the Royal British Legion

Droitwich Editorial 21st Jun, 2018   0

A FORMER soldier from Droitwich will embark on a four-day 300-mile cycle ride from London to Ypres to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War.

Richard Pedley will also be raising funds for the Royal British Legion through the trek which begins on Thursday, June 29.

Richard, 47, was in the Royal Engineers from 1988 to 1998, serving in the first Gulf conflict and undertaking three tours of Bosnia.

He will be joined by Worcester man Jason Dakin who will be visiting his great grandad’s grave in Belgium for the first time.




Richard has been a keen cyclist for a number of years and has been training Jason to ride long distances in preparation for the trip, helping him shed four stone in the process.

Richard said: “I usually do something every year for different charities but, apart from the Poppy Appeal, I haven’t yet done a fund-raiser for the Royal British Legion.


“The centenary of the end of the First World War being this year and having Jason with me will also make the trip particularly poignant.”

Last year Richard cycled 5,000miles over 12 months – equating 100miles-a-week – collecting £1,500 for Bromsgrove charity Little Hearts Matter.

Later in the year from November 1 to 11, the town’s Norbury Players will be staging moving First World War drama ‘Journey’s End’ which centres on several British Army Officers involved in trench warfare.

Richard is playing the soldier servant – the character Baldrick was based on in Blackadder Goes Fourth.

Blackadder fan Richard, who has performed at the Norbury before and for the Worcester Operatics and Dramatics Society (WODS) plays the role like Baldrick’s character in the hit BBC TV sitcom.

Anyone wanting to sponsor Richard on his ride should visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/richard-pedley1 and donate there.

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