A WIRRAL woman is celebrating her 85th birthday by cycling 1,000 miles for charity.

Sylvia Briercliffe, from Eastham, started her fundraising challenge in April and has already completed 852 miles on her bike ‘Etty’.

But the 85-year-old mother-of-three is finding it difficult to reach the number of people she needs to raise as much money as possible for her chosen charities, Live Cheshire and Alzheimer’s Society.

“It’s important to me that I do raise a lot of money because they are two really worthwhile causes,” said Sylvia, who has been keeping diaries of her adventures on the roads.

“I’ve been to Liverpool a couple of times and New Brighton. I’ve even been to Anglesey – that’s the furthest I’ve been.

“I’m doing very well. I have a big notice on the back of my jacket that my daughter made me that tells people what I’m doing and a lot of people stop me. I’m doing quite well personally but I can’t get to that many people.”

Wirral Globe:
Sylvia Briercliffe, from Eastham, on one of her bike rides.

Sylvia, who is looking for cycling buddies to help her complete her journey, told the Globe the idea came during a weekly ride to Whitby.

“It was a complete brainwave,” said Sylvia.

“I was cycling along and I thought ‘I’ve done 1,000 miles when I was 80’ – I just discovered I had done it over the years because that’s what the milometer said – and I thought ‘How about raising some money? It would give me the impetus if I thought I was doing something for charity’.”

Sylvia has set up a number of Facebook pages to share her adventures and keep people updated on her progress.

“I have always enjoyed cycling and my family all did it. It tickles me because when I told my son I was going to cycle 1,000 miles in 12 months, Michael said ‘That’s good mum, it’s only three miles a day’.

“So many people when they stop me to see what charity I’m doing it for and how I’m getting on, they say ‘My son’s always up and down mountains and he does 60 miles a day’ and I say ‘But they’re not 85’.”

Sylvia has not been short of people wanting to donate money during her bike rides but the grandmother is anxious about collecting it herself.

She said: “I’ve told the charities that I’ll do the leg work but I don’t want to collect any money – I think I would be vulnerable on my bike. I told them I’d keep a diary, which I love doing, but I just can’t get the money in.

“I have this thing where I can’t take any money until I’ve done 1,000 miles because that’s the challenge and I don’t think I should take any until I’ve completed it. I will do it – barring any accidents.”