RAF nurse takes on 400km Vietnam to Cambodia cycle challenge

RAF Nursing Officer Flight Lieutenant Ashleigh Lowther is getting ready to swap Portsmouth for the roads of Vietnam and Cambodia this autumn, as she takes on a 400km cycling challenge in support of the RAF Benevolent Fund.

Ashleigh, 41, has served in the RAF twice. She first joined in 2003 and served for ten years before leaving to work in A&E in the NHS. After 13 years away, she made the decision to rejoin the RAF at the age of 40 and is now serving as a Flight Lieutenant.

Her reason for supporting the Fund is a deeply personal one: “During a rough spot while I was working in the NHS, the Fund helped me immensely. I want to highlight how amazing the charity is and give something back.”

Next month, Ashleigh will join four friends and a wider group of riders for a seven-day challenge taking them through Vietnam and Cambodia, covering more than 400-km by bike.

The idea came from a friend who persuaded the group that it would be “fun” – although Ashleigh admits she may have a slightly different view by the end of the week!  

“I’m probably most looking forward to the sense of achievement – and the food!”

Ashleigh has already started fundraising and is hoping to build support in the weeks leading up to the challenge. She also plans to record a daily video diary while she is away, sharing the highs and lows of the trip and, hopefully, encouraging a few more donations along the way.

Having received support from the Fund herself, Ashleigh knows first-hand what a difference it can make. She said: “I’d really love people to get behind me. Every donation will help the Fund be there for someone else when they need it, just as it was there for me.”

Ashleigh’s challenge begins at the end of October, and you can support her fundraising through her JustGiving page.