Children in Need Rickshaw Challenge coming to north Northants tomorrow

The Children in Need Rickshaw Challenge will visit the heart of north Northamptonshire tomorrow (Thursday).
The Rickshaw Challenge team are coming through Northamptonshire as they make their way from Holyhead, north Wales, to The One Show's studioThe Rickshaw Challenge team are coming through Northamptonshire as they make their way from Holyhead, north Wales, to The One Show's studio
The Rickshaw Challenge team are coming through Northamptonshire as they make their way from Holyhead, north Wales, to The One Show's studio

The Rickshaw Challenge is back for the ninth year and a group of six young people helped by Children in Need will be joined by Matt Baker as they pedal a 400-mile route from Holyhead in north Wales to The One Show studios in London.

The group will start in Melton Mowbray as they pass through Northamptonshire on their penultimate day, first arriving in Rockingham just before 11am before reaching Corby shortly after 11am.

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The route continues down through Geddington which it will reach just before 12.30pm.

The route the Rickshaw Challenge will take through NorthamptonshireThe route the Rickshaw Challenge will take through Northamptonshire
The route the Rickshaw Challenge will take through Northamptonshire

The rickshaw will carry on around the east of Kettering passing through the villages of Weekley and Warkton shortly before 1pm.

The team are estimated to reach Finedon at around 2.30pm.

The times are all estimates and the rickshaw's progress and be tracked on a live tracker here.The six riders being joined by Matt Baker are Adelle, Emma, Josh, Kelsey, Thomas and Uche.

Donations made to the Rickshaw Challenge will go towards projects like those that have supported these six young people.

The Rickshaw Challenge is taking on a massive 400 mile journey across the countryThe Rickshaw Challenge is taking on a massive 400 mile journey across the country
The Rickshaw Challenge is taking on a massive 400 mile journey across the country
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Any donations to the Rickshaw Challenge will benefit from an additional donation from The Hunter Foundation, which is giving 40p for ever £1 raised up to a maximum of £3m.

Here are the six riders pedalling from Holyhead to London:

Adelle, 17, is from Belfast and was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia shortly after her best friend died from the same cancer.

Adelle had a bone marrow transplant in October 2018 and has been supported by Cancer Fund Northern Ireland who receive funding from Children in Need.

Emma, 18, is from Nottingham and was born with severe liver disease. Her first transplant at nine-months-old was not successful so she had a second transplant at three and a half.

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She got involved in sports and represented Team GB at the 2015 World Transplant Games and won several medals.

However, a seizure in 2017 left her unable to walk or see properly. Fortunately Emma is able to walk again after a long period of rehabilitation.

Emma has been supported throughout her life by the Children's Liver Disease Foundation which has received Children in Need funding since 2011.

The two girls are joined by Josh, 17, from Carnforth in Lancashire. Josh is a young carer for his brother Jacob, 15, who has a rare condition called ADNP or Helsmoortel - Vander Aa Syndrome.

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Josh's parents provide round-the-clock care for Jacob with help from Josh, who is a gardening apprentice.

He's been helped by Carer Support South Lakes which uses a grant from Children in Need to deliver activities to young carers like Josh.

Kelsey is 17 and from Watford, he was blinded by childhood cancer bilateral retinoblastoma.

Kelsey has played Goalball since being inspired by the 2012 Paralympics and Goalball UK is sponsored by Children in Need.

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Thomas, 17, is from Swindon and has cerebal palsy, autism and ADHD. Thomas has always loved sports and has been supported by Cerebal Palsy Sport which receives funding from Children in Need.

He has won silver medals in the CISPRA Games in 100m and 200m running.

Uche is 20 and from Bermondsey and has been supported and mentored by XLP, a youth project supported by Children in Need.

Uche was stabbed when he attempted to find his stolen bike in February 2017 and spent a month in hospital but it took him longer to come to terms with what had happened. Through the support of XLP, Uche now has an apprenticeship in engineering.

The money raised by the Rickshaw Challenge will go towards projects like this and more.