AN INSPIRATIONAL Warwick man has cycled a gruelling 220-miles in under a day to raise vital funds for Ambitious about Autism.
David Carro, who grew up in Puebla, Mexico, before moving to the UK, took on the iconic Manchester to London challenge on Sunday (June 28).
The event saw participants set off from the Manchester Marriott Victoria and Albert Hotel at dawn and cycle through the rolling Pennines and Chilterns before crossing the finish line at Rapha HQ in North London that night.
Ambitious about Autism is the national charity standing with autistic children and young people. The charity started as one school and has become a movement for change. It champions rights, campaigns for change and creates opportunities.
Manchester to London (M2L) was created in 2014 by Simon Mottram, the founder and former CEO of Rapha, and to date has raised over £1.6 million for Ambitious about Autism. Simon, and his wife, Lucy, are ambassadors for the charity. Simon and Lucy’s son Oscar attended the charity’s specialist TreeHouse School and Ambitious College in London.
Six months ago, 40 year-old David was in an accident while cycling, resulting in him having to undergo surgery. Following this, he endured months of post-surgery recovery to rebuild his physical and mental health.
Despite this experience, keen cyclist David was not put off and got back on his bike to take on what he describes as his “biggest endurance challenge yet”.
David continued: “The accident has given me a different perspective on things. Now, cycling is no longer just about chasing speed or distance it’s about making a positive impact. That’s why I chose to take part in this challenge for Ambitious about Autism – an incredible charity making a difference to the lives of autistic children and young people across the UK.”
David is one of 180 riders who took part in this year’s challenge. This was one of the largest groups of participants in the event’s history.
Danae Leaman-Hill, spokesperson for Ambitious about Autism, added: “The scale of the Manchester to London ride reflects the scale of the challenge facing many autistic young people and their families.
“We want to say an enormous thank you to David for rising to this challenge and taking on this incredible feat in aid of our work. David’s commitment to raising both awareness and vital funds is inspiring and will make a real difference to the lives of autistic children and young people.”
Visit ambitious220.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/fundraisers/davidcarro/manchester-to-london26 to donate.
