Big-hearted cyclists conquer Dartmoor for hospice care

13th October 2024

Riding as one for Tour de Moor

More than 1,000 cyclists saddled up on Sunday for St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth’s thrilling Tour de Moor challenge across Dartmoor, riding as one to raise funds for the charity’s compassionate end-of-life care.

Community-spirited riders wearing distinctive branded T-shirts, turned the moor blue in support of the vital services St Luke’s provides for local families affected by terminal illness.

Participants of all ages and abilities, tested their two-wheel skills on a choice of three courses, navigating the rugged wilds of the moor.  The 53km Beast Mode route offered an exhilarating adventure for the toughest riders aged 12 and above, while the new 28km Adventurer Style route was perfect middle ground, and the 11km Mini-Moor along the tarmac Drake’s Trail catered for novices and families with younger children.

Plain sailing

Sunday’s cloudy and chilly, but dry, weather was ideal for the annual challenge which is sometimes a battle of mud, along with sweat and gears. This year it was plain sailing apart from some big splashy puddles to dodge along the way.

Riding in tribute

Amid the keen riders taking part were many wanting to pay tribute to friends or family members who have been supported by St Luke’s in their final days, weeks or months, knowing that the money they raise in sponsorship will help another family going through the toughest of times.

Every £1,000 raised by Tour de Moor represents a full package of care and support at home, free of charge, for one patient and their family on the charity’s patch, which reaches across Plymouth and out to more rural areas around Tavistock, Dartmoor, the South Hams and East Cornwall.

Anything we do for charity is always for St Luke’s

Ben Partrick and his son Jude, eight, were cycling in honour of his sister, Netha Islam, who was cared for at St Luke’s specialist unit before her death three years ago. There to cheer them on was Ben’s wife, Sam, and the family dog Nena.

“Ben was with Netha at the hospice, and they looked after her really well. Anything we do for charity is always for St Luke’s,” said Sam, who took on a skipping challenge with her daughter, Olivia, as well as a 5km run.

“It’s a good charity,” added Ben, who also did a charity kayaking challenge from Brixham to Weymouth for St Luke’s recently.

The little things make a difference

The first woman  past the 28km finish line on her brand new bike was Kayleigh Cooke, riding in memory of family friend Sheila Dolton who died very recently. Kayleigh only took up cycling six weeks ago after an injury stopped her from running the Plymouth 10km to raise funds.

She said: “We support St Luke’s as a family because they have done so much for family members and friends. It’s a cause that helps so many people and I know that the little things I can do will make a difference. The next thing on my list is a skydive.”

Proudly watching her mum complete the course was four-year-old Daisy Marie who is looking forward to taking part next year.

Good exercise

Regular Tour de Moor challenger Alex Cook usually tackles the Beast route, but for the past two years he’s been taking part with his nine-year-old daughter, Eliza, who can’t quite manage the big one yet but will be proud to show her medal to classmates at Glen Park Primary School this week.

“She can tell the other children about the event and encourage them to take part next year. As well as raising funds for St Luke’s it’s great because it’s good exercise and gets us out in the fresh air,” said Alex.

Tour de Moor represents recovery

For veteran Chris Grosvenor, riding in memory of his mum, taking part in Tour de Moor represented recovery, giving him a sense of purpose and achievement after recently finishing radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer.

He said: “I’ve never done anything like this before. I took up cycling because I was diagnosed with cancer last November, and my Macmillan nurse suggested I get involved in Tour de Moor for a mental and physical boost.”

Thank you

St Luke’s Events Lead, Georgina Dyke, said: “It’s fantastic that more than 1,000 riders turned out to take part in this year’s Tour de Moor. To see so many cyclists of all ages getting on their bikes to help keep St Luke’s vital end-of-life services running, is incredibly heartening.

“We are so grateful to every single one of them for embracing the challenge and raising funds to support our work in their local community, and we hope they had a lot of fun too!

“Of course, we could not put on something of this scale without the support of our sponsors Print Copy Scan, part of the Anglotech Group, as well as Dartmoor National Park and Maristow Estate. Huge thanks to them, plus our army of volunteers, Certini Bicycle Company, AI Campers, The Hire Shop, Devon and Cornwall 4×4 Response, Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team, the Rapid Relief Team, and The Rambler’s Rest at Princetown. You have all done your community proud!”

Pay in your sponsorship

Tour de Moor entrants are urged to pay in their sponsorship as soon as possible. Everyone who has raised more than £100 and pays it in by 29 November 2024 will be entered into a draw to win exciting prizes from Certini Bicycle Company.

Pay in your sponsorship Find your chip times

Related articles

, ,

BLOG: Running for care: Darite’s festive dash

Darite Primary Academy near Liskeard brought the festive cheer to the moors with their amazing Rudolph Run! From Reception to Year 6, every child loved decorating their antlers, getting active in the fresh air, and raising money for a cause close to their hearts. Supporting St Luke’s means so much to this small but mighty school community, where families know first-hand the compassionate care we provide for loved ones at the end of life.
, ,

BLOG: Decking the Halls at Turnchapel

A sprinkling of Christmas cheer has brightened up our specialist unit this week. A group of kind-hearted volunteers from Land Registry, Plymouth volunteered their time to decorate the Christmas trees that have generously been donated to St Luke’s by Blue Diamond Endsleigh Garden Centre Ivybridge. The team spent the day adding touches of tinsel and baubles to the entrance, reception and on the wards, bringing some festive joy to not only the people staying with us, but their families, visitors and all our staff and volunteers.
, ,

BLOG: Coping at Christmas

Bereavement is hard at any time of year, but the festive season - and Christmas itself -can feel particularly challenging for anyone experiencing grief. No-one understands this more than us. As well as providing specialist end-of-life care for people with terminal illness, we offer their family members bereavement support too. This week (2-8 December) is National Grief Awareness Week, in association with The Good Grief Trust. The aim of the week is to raise awareness of grief, highlight the support on offer and to normalise conversations around it.
, ,

BLOG: St Luke’s Men’s Day Out is back for 2026!

Step up for each other, stride out for hospice care – St Luke’s Men’s Day Out is back for 2026! Walk with us on Saturday 14 March 2026 and show families in our community they’re not alone. By joining the mass of big-hearted men marching through Plymouth, you’ll help bring St Luke’s compassionate, expert care to those who need it most.
, ,

BLOG: Light Up a Life 2025

We believe in celebrating the special people who are no longer with us, especially during the festive season, which can sometimes be particularly difficult. As you know, at St Luke’s, we are here to support terminally ill patients and their families who will be spending their final Christmas together, as well as those facing their first Christmas without a dear loved one. The one thing we never forget is that people are not just their illnesses – their illness is something that happens to them. With that in mind, we make sure we focus on the entire life of each individual patient and what matters most to them and their family members. We do our best to provide the support that allows them to enjoy and make the very most of the time they have left together. And later, we carry on being there for those left behind as they cope with the pain of loss. We invite you all to join us at our Light Up a Life Remembrance Services on Tuesday 16 December to remember and celebrate those we have loved.
, ,

BLOG: St Luke’s opens Plymouth’s largest charity shop at Charles Cross

St Luke’s has opened the doors to its brand-new flagship store at Charles Cross - claiming the title of Plymouth’s biggest charity shop. We have relocated our flagship furniture store from the former Toys ‘R’ Us building at Western Approach to a prime city-centre location, just yards away from shopping hub Drake Circus. There to cut the ribbon were members of our Urgent Care Team, who are committed to providing our compassionate end-of-life care and bespoke support to people at home.
, ,

BLOG: Because home is where love lives

Valerie and her husband Michael have shared a lifetime together - surviving war, raising a family, and building memories that span continents. Recently, Val was diagnosed with cancer of the blood, and her greatest wish was simple: to stay at home with the man she’s loved for 66 years. Thanks to St Luke’s, that wish came true. Our team is there every day, bringing comfort, dignity, and compassion - because home is where love lives. “They’re just like friends coming to visit you… It helps the family too. People forget about the family.” This is hospice care at its heart: not just caring for patients, but wrapping families in support when they need it most. Your support is how we make moments like this possible. Thank you.
, ,

BLOG: How schools can support grieving children and parents

St Luke’s Compassionate Schools programme encourages and empowers conversations in schools and colleges about death and dying so that staff and pupils can help support and comfort children and young people, and their families, when they are facing the loss of someone close. Figures show that one in 29 children in the UK are affected by the terminal illness or loss of a close family member – that’s roughly one child in every classroom. Through our close contact with local families in times of crisis, we know how important it is for grieving children to feel well supported not only by their class teachers, but also by their fellow pupils and other school staff. Adopting the Compassionate Schools ethos means better understanding of bereavement and the emotions associated with it, and an attitude of caring and kindness becomes an integral part of the school day.
, ,

BLOG: Step inside: Explore our specialist unit with our new hospice virtual tour

The prospect of coming to a hospice can be a daunting and scary one. We have tried to ease any uncertainty with our brand-new virtual tour. Thanks to local company Made Snappy 360 who created the virtual tour, you can now step inside the doors of our specialist unit at Turnchapel from the comfort of your home. Whether you are coming to the hospice building yourself, from home or hospital, or visiting a loved one, we hope that by exploring the rooms and gardens any anxiety can be lessened. Many of you, including young children, may have never even stepped foot inside a hospice, so will be unsure of what to expect, but thanks to the virtual tour you can now explore the rooms ahead of time, including the family play room!
PreviousNext

Our Care

Support us

Courses

Information

BLOG: Harry’s time to ride – Tour de Moor 2024BLOG: Opening up the conversation on dying