Last year, at just 14 years old, my son Oliver took on an incredible challenge - cycling 33 laps of Risca Bikepark on his mountain bike, the equivalent elevation of Mount Everest.

It took over 24 hours to complete, riding through the night with only short breaks along the way.

This year, he’s pushing himself even further. The goal is to... DOUBLE it! That’s 66 laps and double Everest elevation in a single ride - a staggering 17,698 meters of climbing and descending. For context, that’s more than three times the elevation gain of the most mountainous stage ever used in the Tour de France. And because he’s riding off-road trails, there’s barely any rest, even on the descents.

Oliver has chosen to take on this epic ride to raise money for the Welsh Air Ambulance Charitable Trust. He’s seen firsthand the critical role they play, often responding to accidents involving fellow mountain bikers on the hills. But their work isn’t limited to extreme sports, they provide emergency care to anyone, anywhere in Wales.

The Welsh Air Ambulance attends people suffering life or limb-threatening injuries or illness. Their highly trained crews can perform blood transfusions, give anaesthesia, and even carry out emergency surgery at the scene, all before flying patients to hospital.

They rely entirely on donations to raise £11.2 million every year to keep their helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road. To put it in perspective, each life-saving mission costs around £2,900.

Thank you for your support, every donation helps