As we head towards Remembrance Sunday, the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal rightly takes national prominence, supported as always by SECAmb.

However, fundraising to show support for the Armed Forces community goes on all year round. Someone who has helped the RBL raise many thousands of pounds is Nicola Sykes, a member of the ambulance service for 26 years and an Operational Team Leader at the Banstead station in Surrey.

Nicola Sykes with a SECAmb vehicle in Remembrance livery.

Since 2016, Nic has given her time and services for free as medical support on charity cycling rides the RBL organises to France and the Netherlands. These include the Pedal to Paris event, one of the most renowned charity cycling events in the UK. A 460km fundraising adventure from London to Paris, it provides full support for participating riders, including medics, mechanics and refreshment stops along the way.

Over the years, Nic has recruited other members for the charity’s medical team and also organises SECAmb’s donation to each ride, the Trust providing medical supplies free of charge. Saving costs for the RBL means every mile covered by the sponsored cyclists raises much-needed money to support ongoing work for veterans, serving personnel, and their families—from mental health support to emergency assistance and community care.

“I think it saves the Royal British Legion about £60,000 a year, as well as being able to offer all the on-the-ground-support that makes these events so popular,” she said.

She has also taken part in Pedal the Somme, a four-day ride across the landscapes of Northern France, once the front line of a pivotal battle in the First World War.

“That’s more than just a bike ride. Part of the cycling team is an historian who talks at the sites and battlefields we visit, and really makes you understand what happened and what things were like back then,” she said.

“There’s a lot of reflection along the journey, and we also visit the Thiepval Memorial. You can’t fail to be moved when you see it, all those military graves. It makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. It’s why Remembrance is so important.”

The Thiepval Memorial is dedicated to more than 70,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers. The battlefield was the stage for the ‘Big Push’ in July 1916.

Nic’s son is an active member of the Armed Forces, but her support for the Royal British Legion started long before he joined up: “It was a charity my mum always supported, so I saw the opportunity to give to something that meant a lot to her.”

Nic first rode the Pedal to Paris in 2014, when she was sponsored to complete the event, and she’s been a keen cyclist ever since.

“I enjoy cycling as I’m an outdoorsy person and hate sitting still,” she said. “It’s good for your health, both physically and mentally, and provides an excuse to eat cakes at the café stops on club rides. You also see parts of the country you didn’t know existed.”

She certainly has no plans to hang up her cycling helmet just yet, with next year seeing the 30th anniversary of the Pedal to Paris ride, as well as commemorating the 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.

To get involved in a charity event for RBL, click here to visit the charity’s website for more details.