MEMBERS of Chipping Sodbury Rotary Club have set off on a cycle ride of nearly 950 miles this week.

Bill Bennett, 68, an engineer from Horton, Iain Dunnett, 71, a retired anaesthetist from Yate Rocks, and Tony Sarafian, 75, a retired GP from Chipping Sodbury, left John O’Groats on Tuesday morning, April 17.

The trio will spend the next three weeks cycling the 942 miles to Land's End, Cornwall, raising money for many local good causes in the process.

Money raised will be shared between BRACE, funding Alzheimer’s Dementia Research, BrAMS, the Bristol and Avon Multiple Sclerosis Research Centre based at Frenchay Hospital, 1st Chipping Sodbury Scouts and 1st Westerleigh Guides.

The three men, who have named the trip JOGLE, plan to travel without assistance, staying in youth hostels and bed and breakfasts at their own expense to ensure all the money collected will go to the good causes.

Mr Sarafian said: "We've done quite a lot of cycling together and are doing the JOGLE just for the challenge. Some Rotary friends asked why we weren't looking for sponsorship and we said that if Chipping Sodbury Rotary wanted to raise some funds on the back of our efforts that was fine by us.

"We are paying for all our own expenses on the trip, so any sponsorship money raised will go to the charities that have been chosen by our Rotary club."

He added: "We are very grateful to our incredibly forbearing wives who've had to put up with our frequent absences on training sessions plus constant talk about JOGLE for the last eight months."

Anyone who would like to sponsor the Rotary trio can send cheques to Rotary Club of Chipping Sodbury, c/o Old Brewery Barn, Chapel Lane, Old Sodbury, BS37 6NQ. The cheques should be made payable to Rotary Club of Chipping Sodbury, Charity Account.