Devoted fundraiser's cycle challenge honours three mother figures who were cared for by Rowans Hospice

An 1,000-mile bike ride from Land’s End to John o’Groats will see Eugene Scardifield raising thousands for the charity after three of his friends’ mothers were cared for at the hospice.

Eugene, from Waterlooville, has raised more than £11,000 since his brother Michael Scardifield was murdered in 2015.

He has been giving as much as he can back to Samm (Support after Murder or Manslaughter) which supported his family following Michael’s death.

The 42-year-old’s first fundraiser in his brother’s memory was Cycle for Michael which saw him take on a 226-mile ride from Portsmouth to the Samm retreat in Crewe.

On his latest challenge which will take place in 2022, Eugene said: ‘After the first cycle ride I did, I gave up cycling altogether. I was trying to do something different every time.

‘As the years have passed, I have realised I have missed getting out there and doing it.

‘Every time someone does donate it pushes me a bit more. I don’t want to let anyone down, I have got to complete this challenge.’

Eugene’s cycle aims to support Rowans Hospice for its amazing care provided to Lesley March, Gloria Holden and Venita Ball, three women close to Eugene’s heart from his childhood on Hayling Island.

He said: ‘I knew these ladies for about 30 years. On Hayling on that estate, every mum acted like a mum to all children.

‘They unfortunately all lost their lives to cancer. All my friends spoke of the good care they received at Rowans, they couldn’t praise Rowans enough.’

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More than £500 has already been raised towards Eugene’s target of £5,000, and he is training hard for the challenge including a small ride this month for Prostate Cancer UK.

Having a goal to work towards has really helped Eugene in dealing with the grief and trauma of Michael’s death.

Last year, Eugene self-published his book A Tortured Gift: Words After Murder, which expresses his thoughts and feelings at losing a loved one to murder.

He said: ‘It’s bittersweet, it’s great that I can write so people don’t feel alone in their thoughts and feelings.

‘What happened to my brother wasn’t pleasant and it haunts me every day. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of my brother and what happened to him.

‘There’s such a black and white mentality that once the perpetrator goes to prison, that’s it. We live a life sentence as the family.’

Eugene’s book is available on Amazon. To donate to Miles for Michael, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/eugene-scardifield2 or follow progress on the Miles for Michael Facebook page.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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