Cycling mad care home resident leads Dignity Action Day challenge
A resident at Timperley Care Home gave staff all the inspiration they needed when they embarked on a fund-raising cycle marathon.
For Peter Hesham, 87, has had a life-long passion for cycling – and even rode a stage of the Tour de France in his mid-70s.
In an event to celebrate Dignity Action Day (February 1) Peter joined staff at the Kingsley Healthcare run home in Mainwood Road, Timperley, to pedal 50 miles on an exercise bike.
They raised about £100 for the Alzheimer’s Society through donations from residents’ families and staff.
Peter led the way by cycling 10 miles himself in three stints during the three-day event.
After his first session on the bike, he said: “It was quite easy, it was a nice little run. I’m itching to do more tomorrow.”
He said he felt really good about doing something for charity.
Kingsley’s operations manager Pauline Parker-Moore said: “Dignity in care is so important and we wanted to do something that brings staff and residents together.”
The retired management accountant, from Sale, who has three children and six grandchildren, began cycling as a teenager and his daughter Jane Larder said it had been one of his big passions “along with my mum Jean, playing the piano and his beloved Manchester City”.
She said: “When my mum went on holiday to Wales with her family, before they were married, he missed her so much he cycled to see her from Manchester.
“His job took him to many places in the world, including Uganda and Ghana in Africa, and he even managed to get in some cycling on these trips.”
He was in his 70s when he finally got to fulfil his ambition of completing a stage of the Tour de France, she added.
Mr Hesham’s cycling was only halted by an accident earlier this year, before he went into Timperley Care Home.
Jane said: “We have still got his custom-made bike. Although he won’t be able to cycle on the roads again, he is loving being able to climb back on the saddle on an exercise bike.”
Author: Stephen Pullinger
