A Catterick Garrison soldier is taking on a daily cycling challenge to raise money and awareness for a mental health charity.
Staff Sergeant David Jarvis is attempting to cycle 60km everyday throughout the lockdown.
Money raised will be split between the mental health charity Mind and the Royal Signals Charity.
David said: “I chose these because mental health and wellbeing has and is going to be important in the coming months and the Royal Signals Charity has enabled me to directly benefit 100-plus cyclists around the Corps through support on cycling training camps and lots more indirectly when they returned to their units.”
The cyclist said he chose 60km as it represents what he believes is the amount of hours a typical small business like a shop or cafe would be open in a normal week.
He added: “I’m aiming to arsie £1,395.20 which represents the amount an over 25-year-old person in the UK could make in a month while on minimum wage from working 40 hours per week.
“Being in the military gives me assurance that my wages are protected, however don’t know how I would feel if I didn’t know when my next wage was coming in — how I would support my family or how I would put food on the table.
“I can only imagine what it must be like for business owners having to close up permanently and cut jobs.
“Then there are the workers loosing their jobs. More importantly, if the adults are struggling, how are the children finding this situation.
“I don’t know how I would cope in that situation or what the impact would be on my mental health, let alone my families.”
The 38-year-old, who is originally from Banff, in Scotland, added: “The majority of my rides have consisted of doing laps round the garrison.
“I haven’t been home since October. My job would have kept me here during lockdown anyway so the routine is keeping my mental health in check as well!”
To donate to David’s appeal click here https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DavidJarvis18
