​Peter Cooper Motor Group MD Completes 190-Mile London to Paris Charity Cycle​

Darren Cooper, Managing Director of the Peter Cooper Motor Group, joined more than 50 riders – including cancer patients, clinicians, family members and supporters – for one of Europe's toughest cycling challenges. Completing the gruelling 190-mile London to Paris (LP24) cycle ride, helping to raise an incredible £85,000 for the cancer charity PLANETS.

The ride saw participants travel from St James's Park in London, through the Kent countryside before taking a well-earned break while crossing the Channel Tunnel at Newhaven. They then continued through the picturesque villages and medieval market towns of northern France, battling sleep deprivation and intense summer heat before reaching the finish beneath the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The event smashed its original fundraising target of £50,000, with generous support from local communities helping to raise £85,000.

PLANETS supports patients living with pancreatic, liver, colorectal, gastric and neuroendocrine cancers by funding patient support groups, pioneering treatments and vital research. Since it was established in 2011, the charity has raised more than £3 million to improve care and outcomes for patients.

Darren, who spent weeks training on the roads around Winchester and the surrounding area in preparation for the challenge, said: "As you can imagine, it was incredibly hot going. There were moments when the conditions really tested everyone, but the support from the group kept us going.

"The sight of the Eiffel Tower, our finishing point, suddenly brought into focus the sense of achievement. It was an amazing feeling to complete the ride and even more rewarding to know we'd helped raise so much money for such an amazing cause. My thanks go to everyone who supported and sponsored me as I managed to raise £10,000 myself."

Dr Brian Stedman, Consultant Interventional Radiologist at University Hospital Southampton, PLANETS co-founder and one of the riders, said: "LP24 brings together patients, clinicians, supporters and families in a way few events can. To ride alongside so many inspiring people and raise £85,000 is something I'll never forget.

"The money raised will make a real difference by supporting patients and funding innovative treatments and research that will improve lives."

The London to Paris challenge has become one of PLANETS' flagship fundraising events, combining endurance, teamwork and determination to support people affected by some of the most complex cancers.

There is still time to donate to this outstanding challenge, you can do so on Darren's Go Fund Me page, HERE