A Whitley Bay freemason is preparing to roll up his trouser legs and don bicycle clips to raise much needed funds for charity.
On June 22nd, Graeme Salmon will leave Whitley Bay Masonic Hall on a 220-mile epic journey to the Masonic Hall in Bourne Lincolnshire with a gruelling target of arriving within 24 hours.
Graeme is raising money for the Province of Northumberland’s 2020 Festival which is expected to raise more than £2m for charities and good causes. His initial fundraising target is £2020 and already he is well on the way to surpassing that figure.
Graeme is a keen cyclist and rides his bike most days clocking up around 150 miles a week. He has recently returned from riding the Paris – Roubaix Challenge ride in Northern France, 174km in length with more than 50km on a rough cobbled road surface. The Paris Roubaix is a famous professional race known as the Queen of the Classics, or more notably “The Hell of the North”.
Originally from Lincolnshire, Graeme joined Aveland Lodge located in Bourne and moved to Whitley Bay in 2013 where he joined Belvedere Lodge.
I was thinking about my two lodges when the idea for a journey between the two came to me. I’ve added a time target as well as a fund-raising target to make the challenge more difficult. I’ve got the light nights on my side and the good will and support of everyone who has donated or pledged funds to me. I’m very grateful and delighted that any money raised will be put to good use helping worthy causes in our area.
Graeme Salmon