A cyclist in West Yorkshire has completed the first 1,000 mile stretch of a mega 3,431 mile undertaking to raise funds for Palestine.
From Pudsey to Gaza: cycling 3,431 miles for Palestine
Pudsey resident Tim Devereux started his fundraising rides on 1 January. Every day, he has traversed around 10 miles around West Yorkshire. He will keep on riding until he has covered 3,431 miles – the distance from Pudsey to Gaza to raise £1,000 for Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP).
MAP works for the health and dignity of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation, and as refugees. It provides immediate medical aid to those in great need, while also building local capacity and skills to ensure the long-term development of the Palestinian healthcare system.
Already, Devereux’s efforts have exceeded his initial fundraising target. He has secured more than double his initial £1,000 goal – currently £2,091.31 – for MAP.
Cycling the peaceful paths of West Yorkshire as Israel acts with impunity
Over the last few years, Devereux has undertaken a number of fundraising campaigns. He has previously completed multi-day bike rides for various medical charities (in honour of his late brothers) and a Covid lockdown beard fundraiser for the Trussell Trust.
In 2024, he cycled the 300 miles from Leeds to Brighton over the course of five days, in aid of MAP.
He told the Canary that he was compelled to start his latest cycling campaign after attending Leeds Palestinian Film Festival. He expressed that:
Clearly, there is still huge need in Palestine, and I knew I wanted to raise money for MAP this year. It was while I was watching one of the Leeds Palestinian Film Festival events that it occurred to me – what if I did a virtual bike ride, the distance from Leeds to Gaza, but just riding locally, about ten miles a day?
He also highlighted his horror that as he has cycled the peaceful cycle paths of West Yorkshire, Israel has unconscionably violated the ceasefire and resumed its brutal genocide:
I frequently ride along the Leeds/Liverpool canal towpath – I enjoy the tranquility. Of course, this is such a contrast to the situation in Gaza, where Israeli forces have broken the ceasefire.
‘Better to light one candle than curse the darkness’
Moreover, Devereux wants his rides to draw attention to the horrendous atrocities Israel has continued to commit against Palestinian aid and health workers. Of course, this includes aid workers from MAP, who Devereux has chosen to direct his fundraising efforts towards.
Only on 24 March, MAP condemned another abhorrent attack by Israeli forces once again targeting health workers at a hospital in Gaza. It wrote that:
the Israeli military attacked Nasser Hospital, where MAP’s
Emergency Medical Team was working. At least eight people were injured in the attack, and many more patients, civilians and healthcare workers were endangered by the blasts and ensuing fire. Thankfully, on this occasion, none of MAP’s doctors were hurt. Despite the risks, our teams will remain in Gaza doing all they can to deliver urgently needed medical care to sick and injured people.
Along his route, Devereux has raised both funds for and awareness of the horrendous genocide and campaign of ethnic cleansing Israel is carrying out in Gaza. And he explained that the response from the public has been supportive of his efforts to date:
Usually, I have a poster about the ride attached to any bike I ride, and I have business cards with the ride information and how to donate. When I chat to passers-by, they are always supportive. I have had articles in the local press and a radio interview, so I hope I am spreading information about Gaza, as well as raising money for MAP.
So far, Devereux has ridden every day but one, covering an average of 11 miles each day. He has used a variety of bikes, five of his and three borrowed, and suffered four punctures, four snapped spokes, a broken chain, and a broken carrier. He will complete the journey covering the distance to Gaza in December.
Devereux expressed to the Canary his motivation for pedaling onward each day:
The situation in Gaza, Palestine and the Middle East continues to be heartrendingly awful. As an elderly man in Yorkshire, there is not much I can do to influence the combatants. But as the saying goes, ‘Better to light one candle than curse the darkness.’ I am still fit enough to cycle every day. So as I carry out the challenge, MAP will get funds to assist the victims of violence, and I will have a year or so of cycling for peace.
You can donate to his fundraiser for MAP on his JustGiving page here.
Featured image supplied
