Thank you! Hugh Porter's 80 for 80 challenge raises £7,500 for Compton Care
More than £7,500 has been raised for Compton Care through a cycling legend's birthday bike ride.
Hugh Porter descended on the track at Aldersley Stadium, along with dozens of other riders, to mark his 80th birthday by completing 80 laps.
The Commonwealth Games gold medal winner started off on January 26 – a day before his birthday – along with Wolverhampton Mayor Councillor Claire Darke.
Mr Porter, a known broadcaster, said: "It's exceeded what I hoped. I'm really so pleased about it, obviously, I wanted to raise a lot of money so I'm very very pleased with this.
"I would like to say a massive thank you to people who made the 80 for 80 event a success."
The money will be spent on 10 custom-fit night-time garments for patients with Lymphedema – swelling which occurs in arms or legs.
Compton Care can't afford to pay out for the items due to them not being re-usable.
And another section of the funds will be used to pay for 14 night -sitting sessions, where a carer can look after someone either in their home – or somewhere else.
"Compton Care is absolutely delighted and they are very very pleased with the success of the fundraiser," Hugh said.
"And WV Active, who gave me some great support – allowing us to use Aldersley Stadium free of charge – and we've had some meetings about doing another one.
"We want to do an 80 for 80 but but not with the birthday thing attached – it's a nice number.
"We want to possibly extend it to a big community day."
The cyclist, who completed 80 laps of the track, roughly 22.7 miles, in 90 minutes as part of the event.
The venue was chosen as it was where the broadcaster trained ahead of his World Championships.
Hugh added: "I can't thank people enough. It proved to be a massive success and it's pleasing for me because Compton Care is my chosen charity."
