Tuk Tuk Travellers Drop into Glossop Caravans on Fund Raising Tour

Three women from Yorkshire, raising funds to fight children's cancers by driving a Tuk Tuk around Britain, visited Glossop Caravans, recently.

The so-called 'Beijing Biddies', Edwina Sorkin (71), Kate Sleath (66), Helen Stobart (51) and Liz Tinkler (50), pulled in to say thank you to the team at Glossop Caravans for loaning them a £38,000 motorhome as their support vehicle. The motorhome is a Swift Escape 686 2015, which helps them camp comfortably on their 1100 mile journey over 16 days. Normally, hiring a motorhome over the length of the challenge would have cost the team over £5,000.

Their current trip has taken in Edinburgh, Newcastle, Cambridge, London, Merthyr Tydfil and Manchester to date. Each day, the ladies take turns to drive the Tuk Tuk, a motorised rickshaw, for six to seven hours. Moving at about 20 miles an hour, it's not as easy as it sounds. The motorhome provides them with a welcome break.

Brian and Stan Laing, Joint Managing Directors at Glossop Caravans, said: “When the Beijing Biddies got in touch with us to ask if we would support their latest challenge, we were delighted to help.”

It's not the first time the 'Biddies' have taken on such a challenge. Three years ago. Edwina and Kate drove to China's capital, Beijing, in 29 days to raise money for charity too. Last year, Helen, Liz and Kerrie Ellison drove from Carlisle to the Arctic Circle without stopping overnight in four days.

Edwina said: “The support from Glossop Caravans has been amazing. After a hard day driving the Tuk Tuks it was a real treat for us to have the motorhome to relax in, and we are grateful to Stan and Brian for their generosity.

“This has been a tough challenge, but to see a child or a young person suffering from cancer is really hard. That’s why every penny that we raise will go to help kids and teens, so the more people that we can reach on our journey, the more money we can donate to fight this terrible disease.”

The Beijing Biddies have raised over £80,000 so far towards their £100,000 target in the last three years. The money raised will go to Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Photo: Councillor John Walton, Deputy Mayor of High Peak (left), Brian Laing, Joint Managing Director at Glossop Caravans (right), and other members of the company's friendly team give the Beijing Biddies a warm Derbyshire welcome during their round Britain tour.