A charity worker is set to cycle the length of Lancashire to raise funds for her employer and in honour of a workmate.

Lucy Bailey is hoping to raise money for two causes close to her heart – her employer, Recycling Lives Charity, and Rosemere Cancer Centre, the unit caring for one of her colleagues.

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The mother-of-two says her work as a Housing and Employability Coordinator for the charity, supporting ex-offenders in the community to reduce reoffending rates, first inspired her efforts.

And after learning of the care being given to her colleague, Ray Ward, by the team in Rosemere at Royal Preston Hospital, she decided to split the funds raised.

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Lucy will cycle more than 30 miles on Saturday 12 June, from HMP Lancaster Farms, where Ray usually works, to HMP Wymott, near Leyland, and will be joined by four of her colleagues.

She said: “I wanted to challenge myself after a year in lockdown. And it’s been a tough year for our charity so I wanted to do something to support it as well. This gives me something to work towards and also a way to give back.

“I was keen to cycle a good distance and link it to the charity’s work so decided I’d go between two of our prisons. HMP Lancaster Farms is where Ray has worked for years and thinking about what he’s going through, I wanted to support the people who are caring for him as well.

“Ray’s an amazing character so it’s nice to give something back for a really valued colleague.”

Read more: Preston man takes fundraising to new heights for Rosemere

Ray – an award-winning and much-loved member of the team who mentors offenders still in custody – is being cared for by nurses at Rosemere Cancer Centre, after being taken ill in January.

Alasdair Jackson, chief executive of Recycling Lives Charity, said: “We’re all really proud of Lucy at the best of times – she’s a wonderful lady who gives so much to support the men and women we work with – so we’re really pleased she wants to do this to support our work even further.”

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Recycling Lives Charity delivers three programmes to reduce reoffending, tackle homelessness and feed communities. Its offender rehabilitation programme reduces reoffending rates to less than 5 per cent, preventing crime in communities, while its residential facility supports men facing homelessness to regain their independence and move into work and housing.

Its Food Redistribution Centre has delivered more than 3 million meals to communities across Lancashire and Cumbria during the pandemic, working to reduce food waste and tackle food poverty.

To support Lucy, visit GoFundMe.

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