Bereaved Father’s 200-Mile Charity Bike Ride Raises £4,500 Across Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cambridgeshire.

“It was wonderful to see the familiar faces of the care team and we’re always indebted to the kindness and support of everyone at EACH” – Andy and friends raised more than £4,500 after a 2oo-mile charity bike ride across East Anglia

Andy Hutton, along with his university friends Steve Formoy and Piran Borlase-Hendry, recently completed a poignant 215-mile bike ride across Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cambridgeshire in support of three charities: East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH), Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), and Brain Tumour Research. The heartfelt journey served as a tribute to Andy’s daughter, Grace Zuzu, who tragically lost her battle against a rare and aggressive brain tumour in May 2022 at the age of 21 months.

The emotional challenge, which took place on September 22nd and 23rd, saw the trio visit EACH’s facilities, including The Treehouse, The Nook, and various notable locations, including Ipswich Town, Norwich City, and Cambridge United Football Clubs, as well as Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

Andy Hutton, 45 years old, organized the bike ride to raise both funds and awareness for the three charities that had played a significant role in his family’s journey. Speaking about the experience, he shared, “I had to have 30 seconds before we came up the drive at The Treehouse because I saw the room where Grace and I stayed as we came over the bridge. I said it would be emotional, and it definitely was. I’d only been back once, shortly after she died, and the tears came. It was wonderful to see the familiar faces of the care team, and we’re always indebted to the kindness and support of everyone at EACH.”

The journey began at Grace’s home in Holton St Mary, on the Suffolk-Essex border, and included stops at significant locations along the way. Andy commented on their route, saying, “We covered 215 miles in total – the original plan had been to do 200, but we rerouted as I thought it would be nicer to go through Thetford Forest. That was true, although the ‘Thetford cycle loop’ isn’t really designed for anything other than mountain bikes in places, so ten miles took two hours. It was like riding along a beach because the track was just sand for miles.”

Despite the challenges encountered during the ride, the trio pushed forward with determination. Andy added, “We also discovered that the National Cycle Network stops about five miles outside Milton. It meant we had to walk along a footpath for a mile or so, and then we had ‘navigational difficulties’ coming into the village. It was quite dark when we arrived and gone 7 pm.”

In a touching moment, the cyclists made a short detour to Grace’s nursery, Constable Country Childcare, where a fibreglass owl named “Amazing Grace” had been dedicated to her as part of Ipswich’s Big Hoot art trail in 2022. Andy reflected on this experience, saying, “It made for an emotional end to our ride.”

The primary goal of the charity ride was to raise funds for EACH, ACT, and Brain Tumour Research, three organizations that provide crucial support and services. Andy, Steve, and Piran were thrilled to exceed their fundraising target of £4,500. Andy expressed his gratitude, stating, “All three do an amazing job in financially challenging circumstances, and the work they do is desperately needed.”

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