Ben gears up to cycle 4,500km from Norfolk to Turkey for pregnancy loss charity

A healthcare worker is set to put the pedal to the metal as he embarks on a solo cycling expedition from Lynn to Istanbul for a pregnancy loss charity.Ben Gore, a senior support worker at JMR Healthcare, based near Norwich, is gearing up for an extraordinary journey from his childhood hometown of Lynn to Turkey – covering a staggering distance of 4,500km over around 90 days.The endeavour – which begins on April 17 – aims to raise funds and awareness for TimeNorfolk, a charity providing free counselling support to individuals affected by pregnancy loss, baby loss and pregnancy choices across Norfolk and Waveney.

Within the JMR crisis management team, Ben supports children and young adults who have found themselves in crisis for various reasons.”I don’t know where I’m going to sleep, who I’ll meet or what I’ll encounter, but that’s the beauty of the trip, I want to inspire others to push their comfort zones while rallying the community to support TimeNorfolk,” he said.“My family was shaken by a baby loss recently and TimeNorfolk provided 16 free counselling sessions.“The work they do is incredible and it takes a lot of funding. Fundraisers like this enable that work to be free of charge for the client.”With 18 months of experience at JMR Healthcare, Ben’s passion for adventure and unwavering commitment to supporting those in need have driven him to embark on the challenging expedition.Jeannie Melton-Royal, wellbeing lead at the company, said: “Ben is a compassionate, caring, and dedicated young man.“He is extremely patient and person-centred in his approach. Ben is a problem solver, he sets an amazing example and is a role model to the service users he supports. Ben has a passion for adventure and regularly spends his holiday time travelling.“He challenges and pushes himself to the limit which he advises supports his mental health. My favourite memory of Ben is our telephone conversation where he apologised for the signal, but he was in a hut in the jungle.“This hasn’t been Ben’s first step into the unknown and we firmly believe it won’t be his last. We are proud to be helping Ben fund some of this amazing trip and hope that he can raise a great deal of money for this amazing cause – this charity which I have regularly signposted our staff team members to.”Fiona Gosden, TimeNorfolk CEO, added: “I have had the privilege of meeting Ben, he radiates courage and determination. His journey will face setbacks and celebrations, this mirrors the uncertain journey of parents who come to TimeNorfolk following the loss of a baby.“Please champion Ben by donating and support bereaved parents across Norfolk.”You can donate towards Ben’s fundraising target of £3,000 here: https://justgiving.com/page/ben-gore 1693407004175 For updates on Ben’s journey and fundraising, keep an eye on the following social media accounts: @JMR_Healthcare and @timenorfolk