Friday, March 29, 2024
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Cycle trek for Jasper

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Cyclists in training

A group of intrepid cyclists are taking on an epic charity challenge this Easter, inspired by the memory of a much-loved baby boy.

Jasper Hawkesford was born last July to Aston Fields residents Jon and Holly, but due to his severely under-developed lungs he only lived for seven hours.

Now Jon has organised a cycle ride from Warwick Hospital – where Jasper was born and where Holly works as a midwife – to Salcombe in South Devon.

The four-day trip will raise money for three charities: the maternity and special care baby unit at Warwick Hospital; Edward’s Trust (a Birmingham-based charity that supports children and families during serious illness and bereavement) and SANDS, the national charity for stillbirths and neonatal deaths.

“These organisations have given amazing support to our family and we want to give something back to enable them to support other families in similar situations,” says Jon, who found that cycling helped him cope after Jasper’s death.

Holly and Jon, who also have a four-year-old daughter, Tessy, have called their charity project Jasper’s Rainbow, as Holly explains:

“The summer of 2014 had an unusual amount of rainbows, including a spectacular one over Warwick Hospital during Jasper’s short life, so we are reminded of him each time we see a rainbow.”

Jon will be joined on the 250-mile “Rainbow Ride” by 11 close friends and family members, aged 14 to 70. If you would like to support them, you can donate at https://www.justgiving.com/teams/jaspersrainbow