Danielle’s charity cycle challenge will honour cousin’s memory

PEDAL POWER: Danielle with veterinary nurses Danny Hawkins and Charlotte Parker

A member of a Clacton veterinary team is set to cycle 40 miles before being splattered with custard pies – all to raise funds for charity. Danielle Griffiths, who is deputy practice manager at Kinfauns Vets, will clock up the miles on a static bike in support of Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS).

She will then invite colleagues and clients of the practice in Little Clacton to boost her total by donating £1 to throw pies at her. Danielle is fundraising for the air ambulance charity in memory of her beloved cousin, Aimee Williams, who was sadly killed in a road accident, aged 30, in 2022.

The fundraising event will take place on Thursday, March 28, which is the anniversary of Aimee’s death.  On the same day, friends and relatives of Aimee will be taking part in the Aimee Williams Memorial Ride, also in aid of KSS, following a route that takes cyclists from Redhill, in Surrey, to Rochester, in Kent.

Danielle said the KSS crew attended Aimee’s accident, but she passed away at the scene. “It gave us a lot of comfort to know that the air ambulance team was with Aimee during her final moments and that someone was caring for her,” said Danielle.

“The KSS team was also very supportive to Aimee’s family after the accident, which is why I want to give back by raising money for them. Air ambulance crews all over the country do incredible work to help save lives, but it costs a lot of money to run the service, and each call out costs around £4,000.

“Aimee and I we grew up together, so it has been devastating to lose her. She was an inspirational person who would give every minute of her time to help anyone.”

Danielle expects to take around four hours to complete the distance and she will be cheered on by her colleagues from work. She is preparing for the feat by pedalling between five and eight miles a day, and even incorporated some cycling into a recent holiday to Australia to help keep her fitness levels up.

Danielle has set herself the target of raising £350 through a Just Giving page, and donations can be made here. There are also charity collection boxes at Kinfauns Vets in Little Clacton as well as its Dovercourt surgery in Harwich, for anyone who would like to donate in person.

Location: Little Clacton, Essex