Man cycles to Poland for speedway injury charity

John Curtis will cycle more than 1,000 miles between Cardiff and Poland

A man will be cycling more than 1,000 miles through eight countries to help support injured speedway riders.

John Curtis, from Ipswich, has been involved in the sport since the mid-1990s.

Through meeting Lawrence Hare, a rider who was left paralysed following a crash, Mr Curtis came to learn of the Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund (SRBF).

He will cycle from Wales to Poland to help raise funds for the cause.

Mr Curtis will leave on Monday, the day after the British Speedway Grand Prix at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

He aims to cycle 1,050 miles to the Polish Grand Prix that takes place in Wroclaw in two weeks' time.

In 2022, he undertook a fundraising walk from Foxhall Stadium – the home of the Ipswich Witches – to Cardiff, but he said he wanted to push himself further this time.

"I did that with the walk and I got so much out of it, and I learnt so much," he said.

"I thought it would be pointless to learn those lessons and not take them into something else."

Former speedway rider Lawrence Hare was left in a wheelchair following his crash

Mr Curtis learnt of the SRBF through his friend Mr Hare.

In 2002, Mr Hare was riding for Exeter Falcons at Newport during a speedway event that had seen a lot of rain in the build-up.

"They almost called it off... It went on and I crashed," he said.

"I landed wrongly and broke my neck. I was in Newport Hospital for two-and-a-half months and then I went on to Stoke Mandeville Hospital for rehab for about four months."

Mr Hare was left paralysed and in a wheelchair.

John Curtis said training for the cycle ride had been a "lifestyle change" for him

The SRBF helped Mr Hare through his recovery.

"I think primarily it's great that in this country that speedway has got that charity behind it to support riders," Mr Curtis said.

"It's a dangerous sport. No-one starts riding a speedway bike hoping to get injured, but if that does happen and they get seriously injured there is that support there for them.

"It's just my chance to try to give something back."

Joining Mr Curtis on his ride will be former speedway riders Chris Morton and Derek Richardson.