A BARNSLEY man is cycling from London to Paris for a sixth time next month to raise funds for the Royal British Legion.

Andy Hardy, 49, from Carlton, began cycling in 2011 to stay fit after surgery and help keep the weight off.

It’s now turned into an obsession for Andy, and on September 5 he will take part in the ‘Pedal to Paris’ challenge – a 285-mile cycle ride with around 150 others.

He said: “This is my sixth Pedal to Paris, having done the event in 2015, 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

“I also did a solo 102 mile ride from Barnsley to Filey in August 2020 for Macmillan, raising over £2,000.

“That year I should have been doing RideLondon for Macmillan but the pandemic saw that even cancelled, but as I’d already got a significant amount of sponsorship money donated, I felt I had to do something else.”

So far Andy has raised more than £1,400 for the Royal British Legion – but he’s hoping to raise even more before he sets off to Paris.

“The RBL is a charity I have a lot of time for,” he said.

“Although I didn’t serve myself, my late father-in-law, Norman Peace, served with the 13th/18th Royal Hussars and I was brought up in a family who supported Remembrance with a passion.

“I think my working days are tough in the NHS, but in reality there are people out there, of all ages, willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good.

“The support I receive is amazing really.

“If I reach £2,000 this year, I think that would take my overall total for the RBL, over the six rides I’ve done, to over £10,000.”

To donate to the fundraiser, click here: https://royalbritishlegion.enthuse.com/pf/andyhardy2024?fbclid=IwY2xjawEv1d1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHQ2FEk4JVaHYlWoi7wrlCNe8fRWvaTIwucxtk_GkbCMxjmv-LJrxbq7FLg_aem_uMYEG02Gv_LWHqbGn3H04g