Medics cycle 200 miles to raise awareness for Emmaus North Staffs
A charity news update from your area
A group of seven university students cycled more than 200 miles to raise awareness for a local charity. The medical students left their base at Keele University at 11pm on May 17, en route to Snowdon, and completed the first part of the journey – 110 miles – by 11am the next morning.
Following a rest, they then travelled back the next day – completing another 110 miles – to raise awareness for Emmaus North Staffs. It’s the second time organiser Ben Sutton has chosen to support the charity.
In 2023 he completed a series of challenges throughout one week, which included sleeping rough for several nights, taking part in a dodgeball tournament and cycling up and down Keele Hill, in Newcastle-under-Lyme for 24 hours. The first challenge raised more than £1,000 for the charity - which works to tackle furniture poverty, homelessness and social exclusion across North Staffordshire.
“Emmaus North Staffs do great work in the area, but there is still an ongoing problem with homelessness and poverty and if we can help to raise even more awareness then we will do what we can,” said Ben. “As a medical student and being around hospitals we see the affects of homelessness first hand and I’d like to do what I can to help.
“The main motivator on this challenge was the fact that, as medical students, we see the effects of homelessness on both mental and physical health all the time. It seems to be quite common both in Stoke and Newcastle-under-Lyme, so we thought it would be good to try and help.”
The students set a fundraising target of £500 and, to date, just under £1,000 has been raised. To support the challenge, visit the Go Fund Me page here
John Webbe, from Emmaus North Staffs, said: “Ben did incredible last year helping to raise awareness for our charity and when he contacted us again to say what he was doing this year it was amazing. To have continued support from Ben and his friends is just brilliant and all helps.
“Furniture poverty is an issue in the area and no-one should be without the essentials to have comfort in their own homes and we aim to eradicate this where we can.” Emmaus North Staffs partners with local councils and housing associations to offer free items to over 850 households without access to essential furniture and appliances.
The charity’s large store is located in the Potteries Centre and they also have a Home and Furniture Charity Emporium, in Etruria. Both are open to the public six days a week.
