Cork garda among group of 12 taking on charity cycle to Paris 

Twelve hardy souls will head off from Cork next week on a five-day cycle to Paris, raising funds for Cork University Hospital (CUH).

Karen Ring, a community garda based in Mahon, is one of those taking part in the cycle, and she is raising funds for the acute mental health unit at CUH, a facility that provides critical care and support for people experiencing severe mental health challenges.

“The acute mental health unit at CUH is a lifeline for individuals in crisis, offering specialised treatment and hope for recovery,” she told The Echo.

“In my line of work, I see a lot of issues with mental health, it’s becoming more prevalent in the community, and the dedicated team at CUH’s acute mental health unit works tirelessly to provide compassionate care and support."

Garda Ring said she wanted to give something back to CUH, adding that she believed everyone in Cork had been helped directly or indirectly by the hospital.

“We’re leaving CUH around midday on Wednesday 21, heading for the ferry to France, arriving around 8am on the Thursday morning,” she said.

Monika Seidel of the CUH Charity, who is taking part in the fundraiser, said it was the first time the charity was organising such a cycle.

“Fundraising is going really well, we’re approaching €45,000 and every euro will help improve care for patients and families in the hospital, every euro is going to go back directly to patient care,” she said.

Each day, the cyclists will cover about 120km, pushing it to 150km on one day.

On its way to Paris, Ms Seidel said, the cycle will pass through Rennes, which has been twinned with Cork since 1982, and they will be afforded a reception in the city hall there.

“Then, on May 26, we will arrive – hopefully all in good shape and good spirits – at the Eiffel Tower in Paris and that’s where the cycle will end and we will have a nice dinner afterwards,” she said.

For more information, see https://tinyurl.com/2humdktn.