A FATHER and son will be cycling from York to Edinburgh to raise money for a charity who helped their young granddaughter and daughter.

Carl Schumacher, 42, regional development manager for Natwest Mentor from York, and his dad, Tony, 68, a retired joiner from Riccall, will be embarking on their 275 mile journey on Saturday, September 4.

The pair aim to raise money and awareness for Coeliac UK, who supported them when Carl’s daughter Jessica, six, was diagnosed with the disease at 18 months old.

Carl said: “Before she was diagnosed, she had no energy to walk or crawl, she would vomit every day and always felt poorly and had no quality of life.

“Following the diagnosis, she has become a very happy healthy young girl, the charity gave a lot of guidance around what she could and couldn’t eat - even little things like which restaurants in the area offer a gluten free menu.”

They both enjoy long distance cycling, and wanted an event to do together whilst going outside their comfort zone, and since Tony, who now volunteers for Derwent Valley Railway in Murton, retired last year from his joinery company after 35 years, he wanted a goal to aim for.

They hope the ride will take them four days and will be staying in Air BNBs. Once they reach Edinburgh, they plan to sit outside Edinburgh Castle with a cold beer.

They hope to raise £1,000 for Coeliac UK, to continue their research and support the NHS with getting more people diagnosed who are showing the symptoms.

Coeliac UK are an independent charity who give expert advice on living without gluten, fund research into the disease, and work with healthcare professionals to improve diagnosis and advocate for gluten fee options in supermarkets to become more available. Coeliac disease is a condition where your immune system attacks your own tissues when you eat gluten.

To support Carl and Tony, please donate to: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/CarlSchumacher