Five friends are spending their summer training for a 600 kilometre charity bike ride from Hackney to Edinburgh.

While on a stroll through London Fields during lockdown, Dalston’s James York and Cameron Muir came up with the idea to cycle to Edinburgh in seven days in support of the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation (DRWF) and educational social enterprise The Black Curriculum.

The cycling team - including James, Cameron, Abby Cammack, Tom Young and Charlotte Holmes - is preparing to journey from Dalston to Edinburgh on August 28 and have raised more than £6,000 for charity so far.

James told the Gazette: “Lockdown left us wanting to do something more worthwhile with our time and to give back to society.

“Cameron is from Edinburgh and suffers from type one diabetes, with 2020 marking the 20th year since he was first diagnosed with the condition.

“His grandmother (Dr Norna Cooper) also passed away earlier this year, who was a doctor and an avid supporter of finding a cure for diabetes.”

Diabetes charity DRWF was set up to improve the quality of life of young diabetics through education and research into a cure.

Cameron said: “She (Dr Cooper) was very interested in research for a cure for diabetes and used to give money to the research centre in Aberdeen in the hopes that she would see a cure during her lifetime.

“‘There’ll be a cure soon’ she used to write to me, sending me many newspaper cut-outs and any information that she could get her hands on.”

He said the fundraising will help “find the cure that my grandmother was hoping for”.

The Black Curriculum was founded in June 2019 and aims to ensure Black history is incorporated into school curriculums throughout the UK.

Cameron and James were inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and wanted to show their support.

James said: “We would love to have people support us to help raise as much as possible for each of these great causes.”

The journey will also consist of a “not-so-easy” 16,400 feet of climbing.

To help the team reach their target of £10,000 click here.

The group also encourages people to follow them “along the way” using the Instagram hashtag #Ride2RaiseLDN2EDI.

For more information on The Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation visit www.drwf.org.uk

To learn more about The Black Curriculum click here .