On Saturday 5 September 2026, Alasdair will be undertaking the LOROS Leicestershire Round Bike Ride – a single-day, 100-mile loop of the county, raising money for LOROS, the hospice that provides free care to terminally ill adults and their families across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

Why LOROS

LOROS is a local charity that cares for around 2,500 people each year, across its inpatient ward, day services, home visits and bereavement support. None of that care is charged to the patients or families who receive it.

Hospice care is one of those things many of us never think about until it’s needed. The work LOROS does ensures that when life turns difficult, the people we love are looked after and the practical worries are taken off the table.

The charity supports far more than the inpatient ward – its teams run day therapy, counselling and bereavement support, home visits from specialist nurses, and services for people living with conditions such as motor neurone disease. Much of that happens in people’s own homes and across the wider community, as well as at the hospice on Groby Road. It is care delivered at one of the hardest points in any family’s life, and it is provided free of charge to everyone who needs it.

There is a personal motivation for this year’s challenge too. Last year, Alasdair’s client Darren sadly passed away aged 59, having been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour less than a year before. Sue, Darren’s wife, told us that she wouldn’t have been able to cope without the care and support LOROS provided, both to Darren and his family. They helped Darren maintain his independence for as long as possible and cared for him when he needed it. We want to raise funds so that other families in similar situations can receive that much-needed support.

The challenge

The route is a full circuit of the Leicestershire Round, covering 100.4 miles with 4,626 feet of climbing along the way. It is broken into four stages, and the organisers cheerfully describe the very first stage as a ‘baptism of fire’, being both the longest and the hilliest of the day.

From Tugby the route heads out through rural East Leicestershire, past Launde Abbey and Burrough Hill, before dropping into canal country and the first rest stop at Mountsorrel. The second stage climbs up to Bradgate Park, with Old John Tower on the skyline, then winds west to a lunch stop at Bosworth Marina at the halfway point. The third stage is the flattest of the four, weaving south past Bosworth Battlefield and over the M1 and M69. The final stage is the last ten miles back to Tugby, which is mostly uphill.

Alasdair has set himself a serious test. One hundred miles in a day is a long way on a bike for anyone, and the climbing on this route makes it harder still. Training is underway, and we will share progress as the date gets closer.

How you can help

If you would like to support Alasdair and LOROS, every contribution makes a difference to the families the hospice cares for. £25 covers an hour of care for an inpatient, £50 funds a home visit from one of its carers, and £100 could pay for a specialist nurse for a whole day. Whatever you can give is put to work locally, for local people.

If you would like to, you can donate through the link below.

https://opfp.uk/loros-fundraiser

You can also read more about the hospice and its work at loros.co.uk. If you would prefer to give directly to LOROS, you can do so at loros.co.uk/ways-to-donate-to-loros.

No pressure at all to give. We know plenty of you support causes close to your own hearts. However if this is one you would like to get behind, we would be grateful, and so would LOROS.

We will report back after 5 September with the full story, the final total, and proof that Alasdair made it round. Wish him luck. He is going to need it!

Get in touch

This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.

Get in touch at hello@optimumpath.co.uk or call us on 01664 778899. You can also book a quick call directly through our website.