Devoted Rotherham dad jokes he’s ‘never doing it again’ after mammoth fundraising cycle at height of heatwave

A Rotherham father and his friend cycled 211 miles across Wales over three days in July to generate donations for charities supporting his young son, who was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. Darren Machen undertook the journey during extreme heatwave conditions, with temperatures reaching 32 degrees Celsius throughout the route. The gruelling physical challenge prompted Machen to joke afterwards that he would not attempt such an expedition again.

The fundraising drive accumulated nearly £7,000 for the Sick Children's Trust, Shine, and the Sheffield Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, with collections continuing through the end of July. Members of the public demonstrated support along the route, with some offering assistance and donations when they learned about the cause. Machen acknowledged that whilst the experience tested their endurance—including a moment when they had to seek water from a local resident—the support from strangers and the charitable outcome made the difficult journey worthwhile.