PRAISE FOR TEENAGERS – 'A CREDIT TO THEIR GENERATION'

Teenagers James Catley-Day and Will Harvey who cycled 984 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats to help buy a new mini-bus for elderly, frail and disabled people, have presented a cheque for £2001.74 to Somerset-based Mendip Community Transport.

James and Will, two former sixth formers from Kings School Bruton, Somerset, handed the cheque to Mendip District councillor Alan Gloak, who is chairman of Mendip Community Trust charity.

Cllr Gloak commended the youngsters, who are both 18, for their marathon effort and the charity’s chief executive Mike Curtis said both young men were a credit to their parents and were a shining example to their generation which often received bad Press.

James, from Kingweston, and friend Will, from Burton, hit on the idea of the sponsored ride when they were chatting in the school library.  James has close links with the elderly and infirm as his mother, Cherry Catley-Day, is a co-founder of Glastonbury-based Candlelight Homecare Services and he particularly wanted to raise money for something which would directly benefit people who rely on community services to help them get out and about.

They trained for their marathon ride by cycling up to 200 miles a week.

The direct route mileage for the trip is 874-mile but because they cycled up the east coast of Scotland to take in the scenery they actually cycled a longer route of 984 miles in eight days.

Making the presentation to an invited audience at Mendip District Council offices in Shepton Mallet on Wednesday (September 15),James and Will said the trip was an amazing experience and they thanked their support team, their sponsors and everyone who made donations for making it possible and so worthwhile.

Both are now going on to university although James is first taking a gap year during which time he plans to run the London Marathon.

Mendip Community Transport, which was set up 20 years ago under the auspices of Voluntary Action Mendip, is a not for profit transport provider which operates vehicles for community groups, the disabled, elderly, frail, the blind, mobility-impaired and similar disadvantaged groups or individuals living in the Mendip area.

Operating from the Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, it has about 18 vehicles but still the demand for the service is outstripping supply.