Charity biking challenge to buy new hospital equipment in Haywards Heath and Brighton

Lucy Pond is aiming to raise £10,000 to fund items for the Special Care Baby Unit at the Princess Royal Hospital and Chalkhill Mental Health Unit, both in Haywards Heath and Brighton’s Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital.

The event, which runs until Wednesday, June 30, is to buy: a CO2 monitor for staff at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital; a sleep study monitor; a mock MRI scanner for children to play with to prepare themselves for an MRI; a dental x-ray machine; and visulate ceiling lights for children’s A&E.

Lucy said: “I have a special attachment to the Royal Alex and therefore Rockinghorse as my son Aidan passed away there aged just 19 months in 2014.

“Although there was no treatment or cure for his illness the staff and hospital became family and home and since then I’ve raised more than £15,000 for Aidan’s Christmas Dinner Project and Rockinghorse Children’s Charity.

“This challenge is to help the charity recover some of the income lost (£250,000) in the last year and I’m looking for people to join the challenge.

“There are four routes to choose from: 50km to 1,400km (the distance from Land’s End to John o’Groats).”

Entry costs £20 and includes a medal, access to leader board and a small donation to Rockinghorse, the official fundraising arm of the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital.

To enter, visit www.rockinghorse.org.uk/events/ride-for-rockinghorse