Couple quit jobs to start two-year cycle adventure

A couple who quit their jobs to learn "how to communicate and work together better", will soon begin cycling through 15 different countries for charity.

Jonas Pollard and Margaux Dumas from Bath, Somerset, will embark on the 20,500 mile (33,000km) journey from Alaska to Argentina on Tuesday.

They hope to raise £33,000 for World Bicycle Relief and the Sue Ryder Charity, who cared for Pollard's mother before her death in 2014.

Pollard said: "With this challenge, I wanted to give something back and to the nurses there [at the hospice] - it's an incredible space."

Pollard's mum, Maggie, received end of life care at Sue Ryder's Leckhampton Court Hospice in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

Before quitting their jobs last year to begin training, including how to work better together, Pollard worked as an art director, and Margaux in customer experience.

"We've really tested things in the past year and learned how to communicate and work together better," said Pollard.

"We know there will be ups and downs, but I think we know each other well enough to know how to deal with one another when we're at our limits. We'll be able to handle it," Dumas added.

The pair said they were most excited to travel through Peru and Bolivia because of the mountains Pollard described as "otherworldly". They will be brining along bear spray, as bears will be waking from hibernation.

It is not Pollard's first charity cycle, having previously cycled around Europe in aid of a cancer charity.

On how his mother would react to his upcoming trip, Pollard said: "She was fairly reserved and nervous in a way but also excited for me to do these kinds of trips."

Dumas said she is not well experienced as a cyclist, adding that "it's a massive challenge for me to cover that distance.

"I'm going to have a lots of happy tears at the end," she added.

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