London ride in honour of James

After baby James was stillborn at 35 weeks, Laura and her husband have decided to take up the challenge to organise a bike ride through London to raise vital funds for Tommy’s.

Tommy's fundraising stories, 25/08/2017

Today Laura and her husband along with a number of other incredible individuals will set out from London on bike to raise vital funds for Tommy's. 

The route starts at one of the most famous landmarks in London, Trafalgar Square, before heading down The Mall past Buckingham Palace, over the Thames and out of London through Richmond Park- a royal park with herds of deer- to the Surrey Hills. 

The route takes in much of the 2012 London Olympics road race course, heading over famous climbs such as Box Hill, before heading back into London.

Having completed a bike ride last year in memory of James and  raised an incredible 14k, this year the team are hoping to achieve something similar again. 

Laura notes; 

"September 15th 2015 was the saddest day in our lives. Our beautiful son James George Southwell was born. But devastatingly he was stillborn. I was 35 weeks pregnant.

We are raising money for Tommy’s because of their research into stillbirth and miscarriage. The grief that comes along with loosing a baby is immense and overwhelming and any support that Tommy’s offer is invaluable."  

Around 2.6 million stillbirths (the death of a baby at 24 weeks' gestation or more) occur globally each year. In the UK, that equates to 9 stillborn babies a day and untold heartbreak for their families.

We are incredibly grateful to Gavin and his team for their incredible support, we couldn't do it without you. If you would like to learn more about the ride or to sponsor this incredible challenge, see the London80 website. 

Are you inspired by Laura and Gavin's incredible story? Then, click here to see how you can take on a challenge for Tommy’s.