Liam and Will are two good friends living in Sheffield. They both enjoy cycling, board games, and attempting to right the many wrongs of the world. Will is currently working as a mental health nurse, and Liam is studying for a PhD in astronomy.

On 2nd August they, along with four others, will be undertaking the toughest physical challenge of their lives – cycling 100 miles for the Refugee Council.

“The RideLondon-Surrey 100 event will need an extraordinary amount of training and determination. It’s far beyond anything we’ve done before, and even though Surrey is a lot flatter than Sheffield, we’re still nervous about the whole thing”, says Will.

As well as raising money through sponsorship, the pair also want to raise awareness for the plight of refugees and asylum seekers, and their treatment here in the UK.

Liam says, “One of the things that saddens me most about modern day Britain, is our collective lack of empathy for other cultures and populations. We have a society that is happy to let people drown just trying to reach a safe and stable place to live. Many of the problems these people are fleeing are related to questionable acts by the UK or other western nations, but as a country we are not taking responsibility for that history. “

Will says, “Refugees have been put in the awful position of having to choose between their own safety and their home land. Many of us, myself included, could not imagine being forced to leave our home or even the idea of not having mostly free choice to choose where we live. More than ever we must support those in need”

Will and Liam hope to spread the message that refugees should be welcomed in the UK, and that as a society we should be providing safe passage for those fleeing torture, persecution and extreme poverty. You can read about their fundraising and training at https://riding4refugees.wordpress.com/