Paul Davey (right) and his friend Nick Butt (left) have just ridden from John O’Groats to Lands end, finishing in Lands End on 25th July. They averaged an average of 90 miles a day cycling (in all weather – especially wind and rain!!) and cycled the ‘wrong way’ (the ‘easy’ way, is from Land End where you have a following wind).

The ride raised over £1,500 for the EDKPA and will go towards the purchase of some exercise equipment for dialysis patients in the kidney unit and in the renal in-patient ward.

Nick, Mel and Paul celebrate after the ride.

“The reason I have chosen to raise money for the EDKPA”, said Paul, “Is because of my step mum, Mel Davey (nee Bennett). Mel is diabetic and had kidney failure.  For years she received dialysis in the Sid Ward at the RD&E.  In November 2005 she received a kidney transplant and has had great aftercare from the ward.  Unfortunately, Mel became very ill in the Summer of 2007 after an infection took hold in her foot.  She spent several weeks in intensive care and during this time the transplanted kidney failed.  The Sid ward team really looked after Mel during this time and with their hard work, along with the staff from the intensive care unit, they managed to save the kidney and get it functioning again, but sadly Mel had to lose the lower half of her leg to halt the infection from spreading further.”

“Mel has made a good recovery from this and in April last year, she managed to walk down the aisle to get married to my Dad (it was the first bit of walking she managed to do with her prosthetic leg!)  She still has to have regular checks at the hospital, but she is forever grateful that she has been given a chance to live with the donated kidney.”

Paul and Nick had a support team with them of his dad, Mel and Chris who set up camp each night for the cyclists. This cut down on costs to make sure every penny went to the EDKPA.

Paul (from Horsham) and Nick staggeringly lively and energetic and everyone had a ‘welcome home’ party in the Padbrook park on 25th (when they arrived back in lands End and then returned to Cullompton., where the family live). Paul’s wife, who is expecting a baby very soon, was also part of the support party, and – although worried for her husband – supported him every inch of the way.

The support they received on the way was very heart-warming, with strangers offering funds when they heard what they were cycling for, and shopkeepers offering sustenance on the way. “We did not ask for anything”, said Paul “But when we explained what we were doing, people – usually total strangers - were so generous.”

Was it easy? “Well”, Paul said, my wife found the 6 hour training sessions after work quite tiresome, but the ride itself went well, completing about 90 miles a day. It was wet and windy at time, but we carried on despite at times feeling very tired and saddle sore”. “I just kept thinking of Mel and what she had been through, and we both carried on despite how bad we felt”.

The EDKPA is grateful for this colossal effort and significant amount raised. It will be used to make patients’ lives easier by helping to purchase an excercise machine for use when people are on dialysis or for renal in-patients.

If you would like to support Nick and Paul, please visit http://www.justgiving.com/pauldavey10