A touch saddle-sore but leading Midlands lawyer David Lodder has done it. One man, two countries, 1,000 miles … he got on his bike for charity and achieved his ambition of cycling from John O’Groats to Lands End.
Mr Lodder, senior partner and head of the agriculture department at Lodders Solicitors in Stratford-upon-Avon, the third generation of the Lodder family to spearhead the firm, was looking to raise £10,000, half each for the Heart of England Community Foundation and Mencap.
Donations are still being accepted at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DavidLodder, but he is confident the target has been exceeded.
He said: “There are some things in life which have ‘just got to be done’ and the 1,000 mile journey from John O’Groats to Lands End under my own steam was one of those things. I wanted to do it before I got too old to tackle such things, so it is a real thrill to have made it.
“It was a demanding challenge, and I admit to being very tired when I reached Lands End, but it was for two great causes so I was determined to finish.”
Mr Lodder is used to the open air life – in addition to his legal role he also owns a 150 acre pasture farm. Pressure of work meant the ride was conducted in two stages, April and September. But, in his defence, he did it entirely on his own. Heart of England Community Foundation is Lodders Solicitors’ chosen charity which the firm has been supporting for the past two years.
Mr Lodder said: “This charity aims to sustain the local community by providing grants to groups and projects, which are usually volunteer-led. Without charitable support the projects we are continuing to maintain, would not survive in the future. This would have a detrimental impact, not only to those who are directly benefiting, but also to the community ethos as a whole.
“Mencap is a well-established organisation which aims to assist people with learning disabilities and provides respite for their carers and families. The money raised will be used in part to allow Mencap to continue advising and supporting those with special needs throughout their entire lives. Mencap’s work is membership driven and relies heavily on charitable funding.”