The England / France Cycle Challenge is an 800 mile bike ride that covers much of southern England and northern France. Taking place between the 2nd & 9th July 2012, it is an event organised by the Coppell family and their friends to raise funds for Hospiscare in memory of Chris Coppell.

Chris passed away in July 2011 having fought an all too brief and one sided battle against metastatic bowel cancer. She spent her final week at the Hospiscare centre in Exeter where she and her family were overwhelmed by the high level of care, kindness, sympathy and support they received. Chris asked her family to do all they could to raise as many funds as possible for the hospice in her memory so that others may continue to benefit from the same care, attention and consideration that they had. They all agreed there can be no more deserving cause than helping someone to die with dignity, in tranquillity, surrounded by love and as free from pain as can possibly be.

The team taking part in the event is comprised of family and close friends, and they are known collectively as Chriscappeloton, which is a progression from Le Coppeloton, the team name the boys used at a charity cycling event last year. Chriscappeloton is an amalgamation of Chris’ name and the French cycling term ‘le peloton’, and also incorporates the word ‘Isca’, the Roman name for Exeter. We can’t take all the credit for that last bit; we derived inspiration from Hospiscare themselves!