Bike ride raises more than £5,000 for Liverpool men’s mental health charity James’ Place

Friends who completed a Newcastle to Liverpool bike ride have raised more than £5,000 for men’s mental health charity James’ Place.

It’s double the £2,500 target set by the group led by Connor Doyle from Walton – and it means the lives of five men can be saved by the James’ Place.

Connor said:

“It makes everything worthwhile, all the aches and pains, the mental exhaustion, and the huge effort of completing the ride.”

“There were times when we felt like throwing in the towel.  It was much harder than any of us imagined it would be. But we pushed each other on and helped each other through – which is fitting because that’s what James’ Place is all about.”

Connor was joined by brother-in-law Jonathan Glynn; friends Bryan Woolfall, Joe Hornby, James Foster, and Ryan Pratt, and dad John as support driver – cycled 192 miles from James’ Place in Newcastle to the crisis support centre in Liverpool over three days, from Friday, June 6, to yesterday, Sunday, June 8.

And they arrived back to a heroes’ welcome with 100-family, friends and charity workers waiting to greet them and cheer them home.

Connor said:

“That was so emotional, the tears had already started when we turned around the corner and saw everybody there. When Jane Boland, head of James’ Place Liverpool and its clinical lead, said that £5,000 will put five men through therapy and potentially save five lives, it really hit home.

“This is a charity so close to my heart.  It saved my life. And now it can help others too.

“That feels incredible.”

Maintenance engineer Connor turned to James’ Place two years ago after unresolved grief and the pressures of life led to him to try to take his own life.

He hadn’t heard of James’ Place until then – but it gave him the emotional and practical support he needed and, as much as anything, hope for the future.

Connor took on the National Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for James’ Place last year, before embarking on this weekend’s epic feat.

None of the men were keen cyclists but were determined to take themselves out of their comfort zone for the fundraiser.

Connor said:

“We knew there was going to be a lot of elevation on the second day, but we didn’t realise just how steep some of the hills were going to be.  That day we climbed over 4,000 feet – and that’s the height of Ben Nevis which blew my mind.

“It was really tough. But when someone was struggling, someone else was feeling strong and we’d push each other and get there.  That happened more than once and there were a few times when we wondered if we could do it.  But it was never really an option to give up.

“I don’t think we would have ever not finished it. It meant too much.

“And it was fitting that, doing it for a men’s mental health charity, we were supporting each other, and talking to each other about how we were feeling.

“We spoke to loads of people who asked what we were doing during the ride, so we raised awareness all over the country too, which was also our goal.”

Howling winds and driving rain made sure the men were challenged at every step, Connor added:

“We had every season barring snow, which wasn’t easy. We had to stop off at Sports Direct to get extra layers! And we’d said we were lucky not to have had a puncture – and then on Sunday we had three.”

“But we had so much help that really restores your faith in people too.”

That included support from Evans Cycles in St Helens who replaced a back tyre on one of the bikes when a puncture blew a hole through the old one: “And they wouldn’t take a penny from us when they heard what we were doing.  They said it was their contribution.”

And, on the first day in Yorkshire, when Connor’s bike refused to move up gears, a one-man repair shop fixed them and, again, refused to take payment because of the lads’ huge effort for charity.

Even though they’re nursing aches and injuries, Connor is already thinking of what the next challenge for James’ Place will be.

He said:

“As soon as we got to James’ Place and saw everyone there, it was such a good feeling we felt as though we could have done it all over again then.

“Anyone can find themselves in the situation I did, and it’s because of them I’m here.

“It’s spurred us on for the next challenge.”

“I think the guys are scared what I’ll come up with next. But whatever it is, it will be an amazing challenge for an incredible place.”

Learn more about James’ Place’s vital services here.

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