Worthing brothers take on Pedal to the Peaks in memory of sister

“It’s something we have been meaning to do in honour of our sister for years now,” says Charlie, 35. “Laura was five when she was diagnosed with cancer. Even though she was so unwell, she never stopped smiling, she was the happiest, most energetic little girl you could ever imagine.”

Sadly, Laura died in 2004 when she was just six. “With this challenge, we wanted to honour her and her resilience,” says Charlie. “In a way, she was the one who got the rest of the family through her illness.”

Giving back to Chestnut Tree House

Throughout Laura’s illness and after her death, the family was supported by Chestnut Tree House, the children’s hospice near Arundel. Charlie and Joe have raised almost £3,000 for the charity with Pedal to the Peaks – and they are planning more fundraising for 2026.

For now, they are recovering from a gruelling six days of hiking through the night and cycling in difficult conditions. “It took six months to prepare and train for this, and the journey pushed us to our limits – both physically and mentally,” says Charlie. “From midges in the Scottish Highlands and the terrifying Hardknott Pass in Cumbria, culminating in torrential rain as we entered Wales, it was an exercise in resilience. But it was also an incredible experience – we met some amazing people and saw how beautiful this country really is. It definitely brought us closer together and it was good to chat about our memories of Laura and why we were doing it.”