Working at the Royal Star & Garter Home in southwest London as an Events Manager gave Ben the desire to do something different to raise funds for the charity.
In 1986 one of the Home’s most famous residents, Charlie Hankins, took an old hand-propelled, Ministry issue, three-wheeled tricycle from John O’Groats to Land End in the UK, a distance of over 1,400 kilometres. He repeated the trip in 1990 and was a source of great inspiration to Ben before he sadly passed away in 2004.
Charlie’s two tricycles sat gathering dust in the reception of the home for two years. With the help of R.E.M.E (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) Ben serviced them, added derailleur gears and prepared them for their next adventure, The Charlie Hankins 24 hour Endurance Challenge.
Ben and his team of three (Alistair Holmes, Ben Hunter and Bill ???) propelled the tricycles around Richmond Park non-stop for 24 hours fighting aching shoulders, sore backsides, multiple breakages and even a crash or two.
Today the tricycles have been retired from active service and remain at the home as a tribute to Charlie and his record-breaking achievements.
