“Every mile was worth it”: Heckmondwike councillor cycles 400 miles over bank holiday weekend to support flood relief efforts in Pakistan
A Heckmondwike councillor who cycled 400 miles over the August bank holiday weekend has said “every mile was worth it.”
Coun Ali Arshad (Heckmondwike) cycled the 400 miles from Aberdeen to Dewsbury to raise money for flood relief efforts in Pakistan.
The Independent reported on Wednesday (August 27) that more than 800 people had died in the region since June following devastating floods.
Coun Arshad – who is described as a keen cyclist – said the challenge was “one of the toughest things” he had ever done after arriving in Dewsbury on Monday (August 25).
He was joined throughout the challenge by two other cyclists, and teamed up with the Hope Welfare Trust, a Dewsbury-based charity.
The trust’s fundraiser – called Miles of Hope – aims to raise £20,000 to provide people affected by the floods with food and shelter.
One of the days saw Coun Arshad cycle 114 miles – a new personal record.
Speaking about the challenge, Coun Arshad said: “This four-day, 400-mile challenge from Aberdeen to Dewsbury has been one of the toughest things I’ve ever undertaken, but every mile was worth it for the incredible cause we are supporting.
“Hope Welfare Trust are doing vital work to help the victims of the devastating floods in Pakistan and Kashmir, and through combined fundraising activities we’ve already raised £14, 241 towards our £20,000 target.
“The link will remain open until the end of September, and we hope people will continue to give generously.
“This ride would not have been possible without the support vehicle and first aid cover provided by Mohammed Khalil of Hope Welfare Trust, but above all, I owe huge thanks to Banares Saddique and Shafaqat Hussain – two of West Yorkshire’s finest cyclists – whose expertise and encouragement ensured I made it through this challenge.
“This has been a true team effort, and together we are determined to keep raising as much as we can for those in desperate need.”
A link to the fundraiser can be found here: https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/miles_of_hope_ride_for_azad_kashmir
The Hope Welfare Trust is a UK-based relief and development charity which was formed in 2015. More information about the charity can be found at: https://www.hopewelfaretrust.org/