Nurse sets wheels in motion for tough cycle challenge for discovery centre

Specialist public health nurse Gwyneth Bowyer, aged 63 and from Ludlow, leads South Shropshire health visiting teams. Now she is facing her toughest challenge since taking up cycling seriously four years ago after moving into the town.

The mother-of-three, who also has one granddaughter, is hoping to raise £2,000 for improvements at Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre where she is a regular volunteer and visitor.

Gwyneth plans to start her challenge on July 17 to coincide with her 64th birthday and said: "I will be celebrating both my age and being very much alive."

She said: "I was always interested in cycling and when I moved to the town I joined Ludlow Cycling Club whose members have given me a lot of encouragement and support.

"I go out regularly on club rides on Sunday mornings.

"At the centre I have helped marshal a walking event in aid of Grow Cook Learn, the charity that runs the Discovery Centre.

"Whatever funds I raise will be amazing and I will be doing this with the help of Peak Tours which arranges trips for people to achieve their personal goals and I will be joining 20 to 25 other people who I do not know but we will have a support team.

"Overnight stops will be in bed-and-breakfast accommodation and in youth hostels and I will travelling through Shropshire during my challenge.

"I have done sportives and every year I help and ride in the Danny Mason Shropshire Highland Challenge of 65 miles and have taken part for the last three years.

"The main issue will be the back-to-back cycling and the need to climb 57,000 feet over the fortnight which will be both physically and mentally challenging.

"I am really delighted that I have a JustGiving page linked to the charity and every penny raised will go to Grow Cook Learn as I will be paying for my own expenses and to take part."

Grant Wilson, manager of Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, said: "We have appealed for people to help raise funds and Gwyneth is a regular volunteer, visitor and a keen cyclist.

"We have a visitor centre, cafe and shop and educational facilities as well as 30 acres of meadows and educate people people about the food, history and landscape of the Shropshire Hills and want to embark on a programme of improvement.

"However, we have really struggled financially because we were closed, or for some time operating in a restricted way, for two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We have a cafe, shop and educational facilities but it costs £500,000-a-year to run the centre and as an independent charity, with no funding from the Government, we have had to think of more creative ways of fundraising.

"We have ambitious plans to redevelop the meadows and create a wetland area with a bird hide and educational facilities as well as plans to start a market garden to teach people where their food comes from and where we can explore different methods of growing."