On 3 August 2023, father and daughter team Mike and Rita Barker-Lyon, from Falmouth, will be taking on a challenge that will push them physically and mentally, requiring strength, endurance, and a whole lot of teamwork.

Rita and Mike on a Bike will be cycling from John o'Groats to Lands End, in a huge effort to raise money for charities that are very close to their hearts and have been with them right since the start of their own journey.

Rita, 15, was born with cerebral palsy and Turner's syndrome, but she has never let it stop her from taking on challenges, reaching her goals, and helping others along the way.

This 1000-mile bike ride is her biggest challenge yet, but it will not be the first time Rita has done great things for charitable causes.

Rita on a morning bike training session. (Image; Supplied)

In 2019 Rita walked 1000 metres around her school in Falmouth, raising money for The Dogs Trust. In 2021 she organised a community fun day, raising just over £1500 for Whizz-Kidz.

Rita has also been an inspiration for local community projects, being an advocate for disabled people and the need for a focus on accessibility. On the same day as the community fundraiser, the mayor of Falmouth opened a wheelchair-accessible path through a local woodland, Prislow Woods, a project in which Rita and her family were involved from the beginning.

Rita and Mike will be cycling on a tandem bike which they have been training with for months. They will be resting at night in their van, pebbles, which friends have volunteered to take turns driving, and they hope to complete the challenge in three weeks. 

Funds raised will be split between four amazing charities - Whizz-Kidz, a charity supporting young wheelchair users in the UK; Moor Vision, who support children and young people in Devon and Cornwall with vision impairment and their families; The Wave Project, who work to improve the mental health and well-being of children and young people through surf therapy; and Shallal, who help people in Cornwall access their creativity, giving them an equal voice and the opportunity to discover their potential.

You can follow Rita and Mike on a Bike on their Instagram and Facebook pages, @Ritaandmikeonabike, and you can sponsor them on their fundraising page below.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/rita-and-mike-on-a-bike