A TEAM of five intrepid motorcyclists are preparing to ride 850 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats in aid of a Worcester hospice which cared for a friend in her final days.

Rob North along with his 24-year-old son Andrew, friends Lewis and Roger Jones, aged 42 and 69, all from Worcester, along with Peter Vinicombe, aged 62 from Cheltenham will be setting off on the epic trip on Thursday, June 4.

They are taking on the challenge in memory of Mr North’s sister-in-law Colleen McCarthy, who died in 2008 and spent her last days at St Richard’s Hospice in Wildwood Drive.

Mr North aged 51, said he and his friends wanted to give something back to the charity which had supported them during his sister-in-law’s illness.

“Colleen left a son, Sam, then aged 17, who was planning to live with his grandmother after his mother’s death,” he said.

“However his grandmother died suddenly just before his mother and he had to then come and live with me and my wife, Carmel.

“The emotional trauma of losing his mum and nan in such a short period of time and then moving in with us, with my wife also grieving the loss of her mother and sister, was immense.

“Without the support of St Richard's, who gave counselling to him and us, and for the unbelievable care and devotion they gave Colleen when she was dying, we would not have coped.”

During the trip the five, who are members of Cheltenham’s Harley Davidson Club, will pass through 12 counties of England and Scotland.

To donate to the team visit www.justgiving.com/Robert-North4.

St Richard’s Hospice provides free specialist palliative care for more than 2,600 patients living with life-threatening illnesses and their families every year.

The charity runs a day hospice as well as a 24-hour, 17 bed inpatient unit in Wildwood Drive.

For more information call 01905 763963 or visit www.strichards.org.uk.