By Rosa Smith

A BUILDING society worker saddled up on a bike to complete a gruelling charity cycle through London to raise money for a hospice.

Saffron Ward, 20, has surpassed her target of raising £1,000 for Longfield after taking part in the Prudential RideLondon on Sunday.

The former Rednock School student started working at the Dursley branch of Coventry building society when she was 16, and moved to the Stroud branch in April this year.

Longfield, which provides hospice care for people across Gloucestershire, is the community partner for three local branches of Coventry – Dursley, Nailsworth and Stonehouse – and Saffron explained that stories of the charity’s work had inspired her.

“We know of members who have used the hospice, and I want to help give back to such a worthwhile cause,” she said.

The ride saw over 20,000 cyclists go from the Olympic park in Stratford, through London, out to Surrey, and eventually cross the finishing line at the end of The Mall.

The route was meant to be 100 miles but was cut short to around 85 due to two serious incidents during the ride, one of which saw a participant die after collapsing while cycling.

After having been held on the course for two hours following the incidents, Saffron finished the ride in around five hours and 20 minutes.

She described the final moments of the race: “The best part was cycling around a corner to find The Mall – it was the most surreal and amazing feeling knowing that I had completed the ride.”

Both the Stroud and Dursley Coventry branches have helped raised money for Longfield over the past months through raffles, cake sales, in branch ‘bikeathons’, and sponsorship.

“I'm very proud to have ridden for Longfield and would once again like to thank all of the support from family, friends, work colleagues and members of the public who have sponsored me for such an amazing cause,” Saffron said.