THE 24th annual Nello cycle ride in aid of FORCE Cancer Charity is on Sunday, June 25.

People travel from far and wide to take part but few will journey further than former Devon financial expert Craig Muldoon.

He’s making a trip of more than 6,000 miles from his home in Thailand to be on the start line at Topsham Rugby Club alongside around 800 others.

Craig Muldoon and his bike.
Craig Muldoon and his bike. ( )

Craig’s first experience of the ride was 20 years ago, encouraged by a friend Pete Cain, one of the original crew who took part in the very first Nello in 2000.

“I ended up riding the 100-mile challenge with a hernia in my right groin, which the doctor had told me would not be an issue as he was riding the event too and would help if he saw me lying by the side of the road. Not too sure how serious or humorous that comment was, but I did it,” said Craig.

“When I lived in Exeter, I ran a business in Crediton and we regularly held coffee mornings to help raise funds for FORCE, even though at that stage no-one connected to me had suffered from cancer.

“It was in 2016 that my daughter, Connie, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Shortly after that, my father was diagnosed. I returned to the UK from my home in Thailand, taking care of my father and giving support to my daughter.

“At the time I was in the UK looking after my father, the Oakhaven charity in Lymington provided fantastic support to my mother and my family, just in the way FORCE does to local people in Exeter.

“Since the passing of my father, I have lost a number of people close to me and with the recovery that my daughter made, for which we are truly blessed, I decided about 18 months ago that I would come back to Devon and ride the Nello again, raising vital funds for such a worthy cause. 

“I feel extremely fortunate to be able to live my day-to-day life the way I do, without ailments or disabilities, so why not use that ability to help others and raise funds for good causes.

“Like many others that will join me on the day, we have our own personal reasons, but together we help the many and that is what counts.

“Thailand seems so far away sometimes but that 12-hour flight home will fly by, pardon the pun, with the excitement of that 100-mile challenge.”

Craig, who runs a financial services company in Thailand, initially set himself a fundraising target of £500 but he has more than doubled that already.

“I am reaching out to all my friends, colleagues, clients and associates and try to raise money for this great charity,” he said.

You can also sponsor anyone and everyone taking part via the Nello fundraising page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nello2023 .

And if Craig’s story has inspired you to take part, there’s still time. Enter today at: forcecancercharity.co.uk/nello/ .

The Nello starts and finishes at Topsham Rugby Club and offers 100 or 60 mile routes. It has raised more than £1.2million towards FORCE’s mission to support anyone locally affected by cancer, free-of-charge, face-to-face and close to where they live.

FORCE’s Acting Head of Income Generation, Olly Watts, said: “It’s still FORCE’s biggest single fundraising event of the year and we’re looking forward to another amazing day with the unique atmosphere that only The Nello can generate.”

ROUTE DETAILS

The ride starts at Topsham Rugby Club and heads to Tiverton via Poltimore and Ellerhayes, joining the A396 at the Ruffwell Inn.

There’s a refreshment stop at Tiverton Rugby Club, where the routes splits.

Cyclists on the 100 mile ride move on to Dulverton via Exebridge, then up on to Exmoor on the B3223, through Simonsbath and on to South Molton.

There’s a food stop at Quince Honey Farm on the edge of South Molton and the course then takes riders to Morchard Road via the B3226 and A377.

The 60-milers leave Tiverton via Long Drag and pedal across country through Withleigh, Nomansland, Black Dog, Brownstone and Morchard Bishop.

The routes converge at Morchard Road where there’s the chance for a final boost of energy from a wide selection of food and drink before the final stretch to the finish back at Topsham.

The ride avoids the centre of Crediton, taking the lanes around Shobrooke, Efford and Shute before re-joining the A377 near Cowley Bridge and returning through Exeter.

The event starts at 8am and finishes by 6pm. Cyclists are clear of the Exeter area by around 9am and most return between midday and 4pm.

For more information about The Nello and more detailed route information, go to: https://forcecancercharity.co.uk/nello/ .