A charity cyclist is preparing to tackle a tough challenge in the foothills of the Himalayas to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Stan Arnaud will join around 60 cyclists from around the UK on the gruelling 315-mile ride from Amritsar, northern India, through the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh, to Shimla in October.
It will be the third overseas cycling challenge that father-of-two Stan, 49, has undertaken for the charity in four years.
Cycling on a mix of tarmac roads and dirt tracks for eight consecutive days, the team will spend up to eight hours in the saddle daily. With little flat terrain, the route includes a number of very steep climbs and, at 10,269ft the Jalori Pass will be the highest point of their journey.
With each cyclist committed to raising a minimum of £4,000, the group has already amassed more than £40,000 for Macmillan – a figure that will swell to hundreds of thousands of pounds by the time they have completed the challenge.
Stan, who lives at Contin, said: “Although shorter than the other challenges I’ve done, the altitude and terrain are definitely going to make it the toughest yet. There is a lot of hard training to be done, as well as fundraising, between now and October 18 when we set off.
“Like many people who take part in these kinds of charity fundraising activities, I have strong personal reasons for doing so. In my case, it is in recognition of the fantastic support Macmillan has provided for my family when we have needed it most.”
Stan, an account director with public relations consultancy Weber Shandwick, working across the north of Scotland from the company’s offices in Inverness and Aberdeen, is planning a number of fundraising events in the coming months.
Donations to Stan’s Macmillan fundraiser can be made by sending a cheque, made out to “Macmillan Cancer Support,” to: Stan Arnaud c/o Weber Shandwick, Highland Rail House, Academy Street, Inverness IV1 1LE. They can also be made online through the JustGiving website at www.justgiving.com/stanhimalayas