Bill and Maggie Cotton, aged 158 between them, cycling 100 mile tandem challenge for Sheffield hospital

They’re 158 years old between them – with every reason to love Weston Park Hospital.
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And now Bill and Maggie Cotton are getting ready to jump onto a tandem and cycle 158km to raise money for the Sheffield cancer hospital.

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The couple, from Dronfield Woodhouse, have every reason to care about Weston Park – it has provided life saving treatment for both Maggie, and for Bill’s son. Maggie herself had treatment there when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, leaving her immensely grateful to the medical staff who helped her.

Bill and Maggie Cotton are getting ready to jump onto a tandem and cycle 158km to raise money for Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield: Picture Scott MerryleesBill and Maggie Cotton are getting ready to jump onto a tandem and cycle 158km to raise money for Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield: Picture Scott Merrylees
Bill and Maggie Cotton are getting ready to jump onto a tandem and cycle 158km to raise money for Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield: Picture Scott Merrylees
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And Bill feels the same gratitude – because the hospital successfully treated his son for lung cancer.

Maggie said: “I’m fine now – it was seven years ago now. And Bill’s son is fine now – he’s now back at work after having part of a lung removed.”

She said: “We’ve been married for six years, and Bill is quite a serious cyclist, who still races.

“He got me a tandem as an engagement present. It was on Valentines Day, so I call the bike Valie, short for Valentines.

Bill and Maggie Cotton are getting ready to jump onto a tandem and cycle 158km to raise money for Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield: Picture Scott MerryleesBill and Maggie Cotton are getting ready to jump onto a tandem and cycle 158km to raise money for Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield: Picture Scott Merrylees
Bill and Maggie Cotton are getting ready to jump onto a tandem and cycle 158km to raise money for Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield: Picture Scott Merrylees
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“We’re both members of a cycling club now, but it’s only Bill who is involved in serious racing. But we are both fit.

“The plan is that we’re going to ride 158km, which is around 100 miles, around at the Rutland Border Epique with 600 other riders. The course takes us around the lanes, up and down the hills of four counties, Rutland, Leicestershire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.”

Maggie, aged 81, said she and Bill, aged 77, were the oldest riders taking part in the ride, and added they would be doing the ride at their own pace and would be the only tandem riders.

“I'm really looking forward to it,” she said. “It’s a big challenge.

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“Weston Park Cancer Hospital is very close to both our hearts and we aim to raise as much money as possible for this very special and worthy charity. The statistics indicate that currently one in every two people are affected by cancer.”

Log onto https://wpcc-register-fundraiser.raisely.com/bill-and-maggie-cotton to sponsor the couple who will embark on the ride on May 21.

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