Horsham father and son duo complete London to Brighton Bike Ride on Father’s Day

Stewart Roberts, 59, an Advanced Driver Coach at Royal Mail, and his son Andrew, 28, were among the 12,000 riders who took on the mammoth distance from Clapham Common to the Brighton seafront, all with the same mission to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation.

The charities flagship fundraising event, which has now been running for almost half a century, raised over £1 million for the charity’. Stewart, who was one of 25 Royal Mail colleagues who took on the 54-mile ride from city to coast raised an incredible £300.

Taking in cycling challenge with son on Father's Day was special

Talking about his reasons for taking on the challenge Stewart said: “I decided to take on the BHF’s London to Brighton Off Road Bike Ride last September and loved it. We’re always looking for new cycling challenges and routes, so Andrew and I decided to take on the road ride. He’s also joining me in September for the Off-Road Ride as he missed out last time.”

The pair, who often go out cycling together around Horsham also build bikes from second hand parts. One of which Stewart rode on Sunday, he said: “Andrew is a design engineer, so is very meticulous when it comes to construction, unlike me. It may not seem like it but combining our skills and strengths together makes us a great team.”

After flying through the finish line with Andrew, the Royal Mail driver said: “Taking part in this year’s British Heart Foundation (BHF) London to Brighton Bike Ride was a truly incredible experience. The route was stunning, although brutal at times! The crowds at the end were wonderful and it felt so nice to have so many people cheering us on along the seafront.

“I’m a wellbeing ambassador at work and the BHF are our charity partner, so I know how important looking after your heart health is. I wanted to take on this cycling event to raise vital funds for the charity and encourage my Royal Mail colleagues to take on their own event for the charity. I’m hoping to get some more of my team from Gatwick to join Andrew and I at the London to Brighton Off Road Bike Ride in September.”

BHF and Royal Mail partnership

Funds raised by Stewarts’ cycling challenge will contribute to the £2 million the BHF and Royal Mail aim to raise throughout their four-year partnership.  

Together, these iconic British brands are working to raise funds for the Community Hearts Programme and train 100,000 Royal Mail colleagues in CPR via the BHF’s RevivR tool.  

During the first year of the partnership, Royal Mail colleague fundraising enabled the BHF’s Heart Helpline to be switched to a freephone number. Since 1st June 2023, the public now aren’t charged for seeking support from an experienced cardiac nurse, making heart health information and guidance more accessible than ever.  

Raising over £1 million for the BHF

Roisin Atkinson, Senior Events Manager at the BHF, added: “It’s fantastic to see Stewart’s passion and determination in helping us raise vital funds for the charity. Without the dedication of our cyclists and the commitment of fundraisers like Stewart and his Royal Mail colleagues, we wouldn’t be able to help protect hearts and save lives across communities all over the UK.

“The stories of why our amazing supporters take part in our London to Brighton Bike Ride never fails to impress us. It’s truly heartwarming to see Stewart and his son Andrew join thousands of other riders to take on this challenge to help save and improve lives.”   

This year, the London to Brighton Bike Ride also welcomed GB Olympic gymnast Ellie Downie, who cycled in memory of her brother Josh, who died from a sudden cardiac arrest aged 24, and renowned scientist, Sir Patrick Vallance who led a team called ‘Biking for Breakthroughs’. Sir Patrick’s team raised over £28,000 for the charity.

The London to Brighton Bike Ride 2025 ballot is now open: bhf.org.uk/L2B. If you want to join Stewart and Andrew at London to Brighton Off Road visit: bhf.org.uk/events