NHS workers turned to pedal power on Sunday, 23 September to raise money for seriously ill children in Luton and Bedfordshire.

Staff got on their bikes for a 50 mile ride to fund the launch of the Beads of Courage initiative which supports children living with long term life-limiting conditions and marks each milestone in their treatment with a bead.

The bike ride, hosted by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust – delivers community health services for young people and children in Luton and Bedfordshire.

The bike ride started at 9.30am at Grafham Water in Cambridgeshire and finished at Bedfordshire Football Association in Luton. 

The event was held in memory of our colleague Mick Birch who died suddenly last year and was a great supporter of the Beads of Courage initiative, and we worked with Mick’s family, friends and former colleagues from 360 Sqn RAF to arrange this event.

The Beads of Courage initiative gives children a bead for each procedure or milestone in their treatment. As their string of beads grows, they can use it to remember and retell the story of their treatment to friends and family. It is also about taking control of a tough situation. Each bead is their way of saying: “this isn’t easy, but I did it.”

The beads also help to decrease illness related distress, increase the use of positive coping strategies, help children find meaning in illness and restore a sense of self in children coping with serious illness. 

We exceeded our fund raising target for this bike ride of £3,500, which will provide sufficient beads for approximately 70 children.