Hotel boss cycles 200 miles through storms for colleague with incurable cancer
Oswestry woman cycles for charity.
Becky Shields, manager of the Wild Pheasant Hotel & Spa in Llangollen, cycled from North Wales to Penrith for Breast Cancer Now, inspired by colleague Fiona Sellars, who has incurable breast cancer. While 70 staff from Everbright Hotel Group walked in relays, Becky completed the full route by bike.
The fundraisers started from Everbright’s Belmont Hotel in Llandudno after weeks of preparation. They visited sister hotels including Llandudno Bay Hotel, The Wild Pheasant Hotel & Spa in Llangollen, Rossett Hall near Wrexham, and Stone Cross Manor in Kendal, finishing outside the George Hotel in Penrith. Colleagues welcomed them at each hotel.
The challenge was sparked by Fiona Sellars, the group’s marketing and support manager, diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. She has undergone more than 50 rounds of treatment, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and surgery. The effort also marked the hotel group’s 10th anniversary. Fiona, from Appleby, walked the first part of the first leg and the last mile of the final leg.
Becky, from Oswestry, has completed prior challenges including long-distance cycles and Mount Kilimanjaro. Max Vander Heiden from Everbright cycled with her from Llandudno to Flint; her boyfriend Tommy Hunter joined later to the finish. They faced varied weather and hill climbs.
Becky said Max cycled 55km with her, exceeding his planned 1km. She cycled alone to 125km, meeting Tommy during a thunderstorm. Conditions included poor visibility, potholes, and a steep hill amid thunder. She was cold and numb but continued. The final day was sunny then cloudy; it was her first 100-mile cycle. At the finish, she thought of Fiona. Four Wild Pheasant colleagues walked 20 miles.
Fiona praised Adrian Barsby, who walked the entire route, and Becky. Adrian, 66, called meeting public donors sharing cancer stories humbling. Seventeen walked the final leg from Shap. Support came from managing director Lei Ma, operations director Darryl Shaw, operations manager Nic Rowland, and group operations manager Catalin Oanea.
Darryl Shaw, who walked six of 10 days, noted humbling encounters and colleague support. Lei Ma, in four stages including start and finish, called it amazing and expressed pride. Other colleagues organized fundraising initiatives.
A JustGiving page targets £10,000: justgiving.com/page/everbright10yrbreastcancernow