By David Nesham
Cycling enthusiast and former Farsley Farfield schoolboy Jesse Carlill decided he would use his school holiday to raise money for a Leeds charity by cycling from Liverpool to Leeds – a distance of 127 miles.
Undecided at first, Jesse researched online and found a charity called Zarach which he thought was perfect for him to support. Zarach‘s mission is to end child bed poverty by providing “bed bundles”.
Jesse, aged 12, set himself a target of raising £250 but this was quickly reset to £2,000 by the time the ride started. At the last count £3,015 had been raised by his efforts.
Along with his mum Emily the journey started at the Liverpool end of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and, apart from a couple of diversions to bypass tunnels, followed the tow path into Leeds.
After spending the first night sleeping in a small pod the remaining four nights were slept in granddad’s camper van.
Jesse said: “It was lovely to see all the wildlife on the canal and somewhere, I think near Burnley, me and mum picked up the smell of home baking which turned out to be doughnuts, the smell was gorgeous.
“Once, when the canal went under a motorway, all the supporting pillars had been painted with Minions, there must have been over 20 of them and it looked brilliant.”
Members of the Zarach team met up with Jesse and Emily for the last part of the journey from Bingley and took them down to the charity’s headquarters in Hunslet, where they were greeted by all the staff who clapped them through the warehouse to be presented with a box of doughnuts.
Jesse, now at Priesthorpe Academy, is already thinking of next summer and a possible coast to coast walk, but said: “I haven’t finally decided on this yet, but whatever I do it will be for the Zarach charity.”
The charity provides “bed bundles” (bed, mattress, duvet, pillow, bedding and pyjamas) to families ensuring children have a safe and comfortable place to sleep and donations may be made via the charity’s website.
WLD first featured Jesse’s fundraising efforts in July. Read more about how you can fundraise for Zarach here.
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