THE MEMORY of a Leamington sportsman who lost his life to a brain tumour will live on as his friends and family hit the road this month.
Ben Burton, who played hockey for Khalsa Leamington, died last year, 18 months after being diagnosed with a brain tumour, aged 49.
Following his diagnosis, Ben and close friends Andy Pell, Will Larkin, and Adam Bellerby devised The Burton Bash to inspire people to get more active.
The Burton Bash raises funds for The Brain Tumour Charity, which supports people and families affected by the disease, and Myton Hospice which gave Ben palliative care, and has just topped the £100,000 fundraising mark.
The Burton Bash features two fundraising events. The first is Give Ben 10, which encourages people to get active in Ben’s birthday month of September, and the second is Castle to Castle – a cycle ride held each September, between Warwick and Ludlow, where Ben grew up.
This year’s Castle to Castle takes place on Saturday September 30 and Sunday October 1. It is the third year of fundraising and the first edition of the ride since Ben’s death in October 2022.
Ben’s wife Debbie, who will start the event and travel to see the peloton arrive in Ludlow, said this year’s event would feature more than 30 of Ben’s closet friends and family.
She continued: “Obviously this will be a poignant year as it is the first Castle to Castle since Ben died and it is really fantastic to see the effort that has gone into organising this and all the other events Ben’s friends, former work colleagues and hockey team mates have organised to raise funds in Ben’s memory.
“To have hit the £100,000 fundraising mark is quite incredible and I know Ben would have been so incredibly proud seeing them continue with the events because he believed so much in the benefit of exercise and being physically active outdoors.”
The cycle ride follows a 104km route, starting in Warwick before winding through the Warwickshire countryside to finish at Ben’s hometown of Ludlow, with riders staying overnight to refresh and rest before cycling back to Warwick.
To find out more or to donate visit https://www.burtonbash.club/
