AN EVESHAM cadet force officer saddled up to tackle a charity challenge with a sponsored bike ride for two Service charities, the Fusiliers and Army Benevolent fund.
Ann Lyon, a recently retired university law lecturer, decided to cycle across England to visit the regional offices of her former Army regiment, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, in a zig–zag route from Evesham to Northumberland via the Midlands, Greater Manchester and finishing up at the Fusiliers’ HQ at the Tower of London.
The 58-year-old is currently serving as a part–time officer with the RAF section of Welbeck Defence VIth Form Academy in Leicestershire which prepares sixth formers for specialist degrees at university and then for careers in the Navy, Army, RAF and technical posts in the Ministry of Defence civil service.
“As a young student I was the first woman ever to serve with the Army Reserve Fusiliers in NE England in 1983-84 so I thought now was the time to set another record with my bike in 2018, which sees the 50th anniversary of the current Regiment, formed in 1968,” she said.
After five days on the road, Ann reached the tower and a warm welcome which included an ice cold flute of champagne.
The Fusiliers’ Regimental Secretary at the tower, Col James Denny, said “Ann has done us proud. We believe she has made a bit of Regimental history as the first lady and first solo cyclist ever to visit all our Regimental Offices and to complete her journey at the Tower of London – a distance close to Lands End to Aberdeen, and at one point doing a climb of 7,047 ft over the 47 miles between Warwick and Bury.”
Ann is still collecting money for both the Fusiliers and the RAF Benevolent Fund and is already planning her next charity challenge for 2019.
