FINANCIAL planner Rachel Storey has completed a sponsored cycling challenge to raise money for Teesside Hospice.

Rachel, who works for Billingham financial adviser Carterbar, completed the event in memory of her fitness instructor’s mother, who died recently.

Rachel is a regular at Springs gym in Hartlepool, where her instructor is Helen Monkman. Helen’s mother, Veronica Lorimer, who was from Middlesbrough, died recently and spent some of her final weeks being cared for at Teesside Hospice.

After Veronica died, Rachel decided she wanted to raise money to support its work and organised a six-hour spin event at the gym at the end of last year.

Spinning called on participants to ride static bikes. Rachel was joined on the day by gym instructor Rob Kipling, Helen Monkman and members of Springs Gym.

The collection of sponsorship pledges has now been completed and Rachel has handed over £1,528.48 to Teesside Hospice.

Rachel said: “We rode for six hours solid, I was very tired at the end of the day but all the pain was worth it for this fantastic cause. I was touched by what the hospice did for Helen’s mum and wanted to do something to help support their work.

“My original hope was that we might raise £500 in sponsorship, but that was beaten three times over by the generous donation and hard work of the ‘Spin Team’. I want to say a big thank you to everyone involved.”

Carterbar, which is based at Manor Way, on the Belasis Business Park, in Billingham, specialises in investment, pensions, mortgages, life assurance, income protection and medical cover.