Local Teenagers Take On 2,000 Mile Charity Cycle

A personal and sporting challenge for William and Fabrice

Two local teenage friends will depart this weekend to undertake a charity cycle of nearly 2,000 miles across Europe.

William Price (14) and Fabrice Lavenir (16), accompanied by Robert Guyot (67) a retired French pâtissier) will be putting all their effort into a project to raise money for two charities; the Serge Betsen Academy and the French Red Cross. A party will be held this weekend to wish the boys on their way.

Serge Betson with the boys at the London v France Six Nations

Serge Betsen Tchoua is a French former rugby union player who played as a flanker for London Wasps and Biarritz at club level and for France internationally.

Robert is currently en route from Moulins in France to Constanta in Romania. He will be joined by William and Fabrice who are flying to Budapest this weekend to meet him and they will continue their cycle back to London a distance of 1,700 miles. They will turn around and complete their journey back to Moulins (250 miles) by the end of July/beginning of August. The three will cycle unaccompanied, carrying all their own equipment.

In 2011, Robert and William completed their first sporting challenge in aid of the Serge Betsen Academy by undertaking a 671 mile cycle ride from London to Moulins in France. They raised 8,000 euros and were able to help this charity to improve the lives of seriouslyunderprivileged children in Cameroon.This year the money raised will be shared with the Moulins sector of the French Red Cross which works to help combat loneliness amongst the elderly. Helping children in Africa and the elderly in France will be the trio’s main motivation for fulfilling this challenging sporting venture.

Serge Betsen, founder and president of the Serge Betsen Academy said ; “I am very impressed and proud that these three friends are undertaking a sporting challenge of this magnitude. Let us not forget that these two school friends are still very young and yet they show a huge amount of enthusiasm for what they are about to do. On behalf of all the children whom we support in Cameroon I wish them a great deal of courage for their journey and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.”

Didier Tarrant of the Red Cross also supports the three cyclists. “As President of the Moulins division of the French Red Cross I am extremely proud to see that these volunteers, young and not so young, are taking on this challenge to raise money for our two charities. This is an extremely courageous sporting challenge and I most earnestly wish them the courage and determination to complete it. I congratulate them for this great initiative. A huge ‘thank you’ to you all.”

You can donate money, follow and support William, Robert and Fabrice on their journey by visiting their website at the following address: www.enroutemousquetaires.com.

July 2, 2013