Veteran aims to raise 10K for charity and become first amputee to complete Tour Divide
Bloor Homes is supporting the fundraising goals of contracts manager, Terry Byrne, who aims to become the first ever amputee to complete The Tour Divide.
The Tour is an an ultra-endurance ‘bikepacking’ challenge with cyclists tackling an accumulated ascent of nearly 200,000 feet as they travel a massive 2,745 miles along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) from Banff in Canada to the Mexican border with the United States.
Terry is aiming to raise at least £10,000 for charities Support Our Paras and The Adaptive Grand Slam (AGS) Foundation. Both played a huge part in Terry’s life after he stood on a pressure pad improvised explosive device whilst serving as a para in Afghanistan in 2008.
Terry sustained life changing injuries resulting in the amputation of his right leg below the knee, and one of his fingers on his right hand.
Support Our Paras provided invaluable assistance during Terry’s rehabilitation in 2008 and he went on to join The AGS Foundation’s Adaptative Grand Slam Project in 2013.
An established athlete and explorer, Terry’s achievements already include a position in the GB paracycling team where he set world records for Team Sprint and won the World Championships.
Having joined the Adaptative Grand Slam Project, Terry has also become an accomplished mountaineer, summiting Mont Blanc, Mont Elbrus and Mt Aconcagua, amongst others.
Terry said: “Support Our Paras were there at the start of my rehabilitation and were a very important part of my initial recovery in 2008. The work they do is so important when service men and women are first injured.
“When I joined the Adaptive Grand Slam Project in 2013, it showed me anything is possible with the right mindset, resilience, and determination. Like me, AGS enables individuals from military and non-military backgrounds with life-changing injuries and disabilities to be able to rise to the world’s toughest challenges alongside like-minded people. I am fully committed to the project; it has already given me so much.
“I have partly self-funded this trip and am determined that all the money raised will go directly to both charities so they can give the same opportunities to others in a similar position.”
He adds: “I’d like to thank Bloor Homes and all my colleagues who have been really supportive, not only with allowing the time off but also the positive support they are providing to take part in this challenge.”
The Tour Divide is said to be ‘the most recognised and important off-pavement cycling route in the United States – if not the world.’ The route follows the Continental Divide from north to south starting in Banff, Canada and finishing at the US border with Mexico in Antelope Wells.
The challenge is held annually in June with the aim of giving riders the same amount of daylight and weather conditions each year. Terry will join hundreds of riders for the ‘Grand Départ’ in Banff on Friday 14th June and he expects the journey to take around 27 days.
Terry Tedder, Managing Director at Bloor Homes’ Eastern region, said: “Terry’s single-minded determination stands him apart, it is incredibly inspirational how Terry puts aside his own disability, in the challenges he does. While the fundraising is an incredibly important part, and we have all learned a great deal about both important charities, the inspiration he offers to others is equally significant.”
Terry (Byrne) believes the Tour Divide hasn’t been attempted by an amputee before, let alone completed, making this an even more impressive undertaking. Anyone wishing to support Terry’s fundraising can donate via his fundraising page: bit.ly/TerryByrneTourDivide2024
And his journey can be followed on Instagram @tel_byrne