Sally Whitley, a veteran from Cheltenham, Gloucs, is one of a team of six wounded veterans that use cycling to help overcome a variety of mental and physical health challenges – from PTSD and spinal injuries to arm paralysis and chronic illnesses – who are urging others to join them and saddle up to raise vital funds for fellow wounded and sick veterans.
Sally, 48, has signed up to take part in Help for Heroes’ new cycling fundraiser, Heroes Ride 200, which asks participants to ride 200 miles, individually or cumulatively as a team, anywhere, and on any bike, between 1st and 30th June. Along with five other veterans, she has created a special veterans’ team, the ‘Heroes Team’, who have signed up together for mutual support and motivation. They also aim to highlight the positive impact of cycling on physical and mental wellbeing, while promoting the inclusivity of Heroes Ride 200 as a cycling event. She will be cycling 100 miles on a recumbent trike.
Having signed up to be ‘all in’ as a member of Armed Forces, Sally’s dream career to be a nurse and an Officer in the Queen Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps ended traumatically after two-and-a-half years following an accident which damaged her neck and nerves down the upper right side of her body only halfway through her basic training.
The injuries led to other complications, including Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes hypermobility (EDS) which makes it easy for joints to semi-dislocate, chronic pain and fatigue and rules out high impact sport because of the impact on her joints. She also has Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) which makes it impossible for her to do high energy sport as it can elevate her heart rate. All of this meant cycling on an upright bike was no longer an option.
She obtained a recumbent trike on recommendation from her consultant and, through a chance encounter with another wounded veteran being supported by Help for Heroes, got invited to take part in one of the charity’s recumbent cycling groups. She has also had support from the charity’s Occupational Therapy team who have helped her to work with her condition rather than fight it, plus also its Hidden Wounds teams who have helped her deal with the impact of trauma. She finds that cycling helps with her confidence and getting fit, and her upgrade to an assistive electric recumbent trike has been revolutionary in terms of her ability to cycle up hills and go out with the family.
Between now and the end of June, Sally and her fellow Heroes Team members will be telling their stories, training tips and progress on social media which will be shared on Help for Heroes’ own social media channels. They even hope they will be able to meet up for a finale to the challenge on 30th June if Covid restrictions allow!
Whilst 200 miles is a challenging, but far from impossible, distance for most weekend cyclists, it can be a huge individual challenge for many veterans who have been injured or become ill as a result of their time in the Armed Forces. This is why Heroes Ride 200 is encouraging teams as well as individuals to sign up so that, even if someone only feels able to cycle five miles, they are still contributing and making a difference to the team total.
Sally, pictured left with fellow Heroes Team member, Sally King, on the right, says, “I was really apprehensive about joining the Help for Heroes recumbent team but they were so supportive, it was like meeting up with a long lost family. I hadn’t realised before that I would be eligible for support from Help for Heroes, so it’s been great to get involved with them in a number of ways as it has made a massive difference on my life.
“With lockdown easing and nicer weather on the horizon, I’m itching to get out on my bike for Heroes Ride 200. Being part of the Heroes Team will keep me motivated and my children are going to join me on their bikes as my backup team! For anyone who’s not sure about signing up to Heroes Ride 200 I would say ‘Give it a go’. Start off small and see where it takes you. You never know what doors will open when you try something new.”
Hannah Lawton, Sports Recovery Manager at Help for Heroes, adds, “Cycling is a great sport for anyone. The Heroes Team embody the amazing spirit of our cycling veterans and, as their assortment of hand bikes, recumbent trikes and upright bikes show, there is a bike to suit pretty much any impairment, making cycling one of the most adaptive sports there is. This is what has made cycling a core activity in the recovery of many of our veterans.
“With Heroes Ride 200 we hope to encourage many others to join us, whatever their skill or fitness level, and experience all the mental and physical health benefits of being on two wheels. All whilst raising vital funds for wounded and sick veterans.”
Ninety-seven-per-cent of Help for Heroes’ income comes from the great British public, but it experienced a 65% loss to its income from events in 2020 due to the pandemic. At the same time, demand for the charity’s services is going up. During the first lockdown, there was a 33% increase in those coming forward for mental health support.
To sign up to Heroes Ride 200 visit https://heroesride.helpforheroes.org.uk/.
