A Marie Curie staff member from Torpoint is undertaking a gruelling 2,200-mile invitation-only cycling challenge to raise money for the UK’s leading end of life charity.

Matt Starling, 49, has been invited to be one of only 29 riders, starting in Cornwall, to be taking part in this year’s extended edition of the Pan Celtic Race. This is the culmination of five years of races where each year has focused on each of the Celtic nations.

Matt will cover an initial distance of approximately 750 miles. He will then cross to the Isle of Man where other invited riders will converge from their start locations in the other Celtic nations to join the additional riders, which altogether total about 500 from across the world, who will then take on the rest of the race opting for either a short 1,000m, or long 1,500m fixed route to the finish in Inverness.

Kickstarting from Land’s End on June 29 and aiming to finish by July 16, Matt will not only be peddling his way across the UK but will also be roughing it as he goes. Race rules stipulate that riders can only take what they can carry on their bike, and for Matt this means a sleeping bag, which he’ll use in parks and bus shelters along the way. 

Matt is undertaking this awe-inspiring challenge to raise money for the UK’s leading end of life charity, Marie Curie, where he is also a staff member working as part of their head office function remotely.

Marie Curie provides expert care for people with any illness they are likely to die from, and support for their family and friends, in one of its hospices across the UK and in their own homes. Marie Curie also has an information and support line, which provides practical and emotional support on everything from symptom management and day to day care to financial information and bereavement.

When speaking about his challenge, Matt said: “This is an incredible personal challenge for me, after first getting a bike on the cycle to work scheme back in 2019. I have already completed three previous PCR races, however this is 50 per cent longer than anything I have ever attempted before and so I’m just hoping I can use what I’ve learned to keep moving and make it to the finish. When I’m cycling, it completely changes my outlook, it takes you so far from everyday life, and you get to switch off from everything – it’s great for your mental health.

“What’s even better is, I get to raise money for Marie Curie, a charity I’m incredibly proud to say I work for. The care that the doctors, nurses, and healthcare assistants give people in the last weeks, days and hours of life is truly exceptional as well as the support given by our other teams including our information and support line team, bereavement counsellors, social workers and so much more. What a great motivation to keep me going.”

For those wishing to track Matt’s cycle, follow him live, or to donate visit his just giving page at justgiving.com/page/mattstarling-panceltic2024