Former Chief Constable of Leicestershire and Rutland David Wyrko, who lives in Gaddesby, is chairman of Hope, will be leading the 33 intrepid cyclists on the 350-mile ride from Biarritz to Narbonne from 5th – 13th September.

The charity is currently seeking more sponsors for the event, and hopes are high that the 'Coast to Coast Challenge', which has been dedicated to the memory of Hope Trustee, the late Rod Cassady, will raise even more for the charity than the 2006 cycle ride, which raised a phenomenal £65,000.

Hope is this year celebrating its 5th anniversary and the fact that it has now raised more than £1M for cancer research in Leicestershire and Rutland. The money has supported 16 research fellowships at the University of Leicester and within the Leicester hospitals.

Projects Hope has funded include investigations into the preventative effects of food derivatives such as berries, curcumin, rice bran and tea; minimising the risks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy; a new approach to pain relief; investigation of a gene that triggers colorectal cancer; and the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer.

David Wyrko has been involved in Hope ever since its beginning in 2002, having met the charity's founder Allison Wilson when she was High Sheriff. In 2004 he became a Trustee and in 2006 took over from Jim Wilson as Chairman.

With the organising team of the Coast to Coast Challenge, David has been working hard over the winter months to chart the route and plan the support groups which will ensure the safety of the enterprise.

He said: "This will be the experience of a lifetime for those who take part. Often they're people who want to raise money in memory of a Mum or Dad, or a relative or friend who has died of cancer.

"No one in our previous cycle challenges has ever had to drop out. The first day is always the hardest, because everyone's adrenaline is flowing and their expectations of what they can achieve are unrealistically high. But they learn they can take their time and even stop to take photos if they want to.

"There's a team of six support riders and one of us always rides at the back of the group to ensure no one gets left behind. There's also a support team in vans, providing lunches and making sure everything works smoothly at the hotels. It's a big team and a big commitment."

During his final year in the constabulary David undertook the cycle ride from the Blackpool Tower to the Eifel Tower in Paris, raising £10,000 for Hope over the five-day ride.

Everyone who takes part is asked to raise a minimum of £500 in sponsorship for Hope. Potential sponsors can donate through the website www.justgiving.com/hopescoasttocoast or by phoning Hope Against Cancer on 0116 270 0101.