Former Royal Engineer Steve Craddock is aiming to become Help for Heroes’ biggest individual fundraiser by the end of the year with his goal of reaching £500,000.

Ex-sapper Steve, 62, from St Mary's Island , is setting off on a 420-mile cycle ride to the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire, this Saturday in a bid to raise the final £11,000 he needs to smash his target.

Steve, a Geordie, will be taking up the challenge, called #Ride2Remembrance, alongside Matt Lumm, another Royal Engineers veteran and H4H beneficiary.

Steve’s passion for cycling began 13 years ago when he took part in the charity’s first ever Big Battlefield Bike Ride – an annual 350 to 400-mile bike ride across battlefields of northern France with wounded veterans and fundraisers.

At that time, Steve was struggling with mental health issues as a result of some of the things he’d seen while on tour in Northern Ireland. He was battling flashbacks and anxiety which he was managing through drinking too much.

An incident led him to seek medical help and get in touch with Help for Heroes. He was then diagnosed with PTSD and he finally realised there was a reason why he was feeling the way he felt and he made a pledge to himself to get better.

When he heard about the BBBR he decided to push himself to do it, even though it was a real struggle to cycle distances as his weight had gone up to 18 stone.

“Every day there are more veterans who need the support Help for Heroes provides, and as long as one veteran continues to need help, I will be there raising funds for them."

Despite the difficulties, he found that he loved cycling and getting on a bike was the first step on his recovery. The weight started to come off, his mental health improved and he hasn’t stopped since. To date he has organised over 50 cycle-based fundraising events and he cycles thousands of miles every year.

While Steve is excited about his ride to the National Memorial Arboretum, it comes after a series of disappointments and setbacks, as his plans to reach his goal have been kiboshed as a result of the pandemic.

He was planning to take part in this year’s BBBR which was due to take place in June to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Dunkirk Evacuations. When this was cancelled due to Covid-19, he decided to replicate the exact route himself and had booked his travel and accommodation.

However, with France being taken off the list of safe travel destinations, he decided to create his UK challenge and will be laying wreaths on behalf of the Armed Forces and H4H at war memorials along the route.

He said: “Every day there are more veterans who need the support Help for Heroes provides, and as long as one veteran continues to need help, I will be there raising funds for them. In fact it’s more important now than ever as lockdown has led to all fundraising events being cancelled."

"The fact that he keeps on fundraising for us, even when things don’t go to plan, shows just how passionate and dedicated he is. Steve – you’re a legend.”

David Martin, from the charity, said: “To raise almost £500,000 on his own is just mind-blowing and we can’t thank Steve enough – I hope people give generously for his challenge to get him to his target.

"It’s especially amazing when our forecasted income is 40% down this year due to the pandemic, while the need for support among our veterans has increased. The fact that he keeps on fundraising for us, even when things don’t go to plan, shows just how passionate and dedicated he is. Steve – you’re a legend.”

Medway-based fruit farmers AC Goatham and Son is sponsoring the ride to the tune of £3,000.

Steve’s route is as follows:

Saturday, August 29: Rochester to Maldon

Sunday, August 30: Maldon to Woodbridge

Monday, August 31: Woodbridge to Waxham

Tuesday, September 1: Waxham to Hunstanton

Wednesday, September 2: Hunstanton to Market Deeping

Thursday, September 3: Market Deeping to Melton Mowbray

Friday, September 4: Melton to the National Memorial Arboretum

You can donate at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cycle2recovery

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