Friends Take Epic Bike Ride in Honor of ‘Shrub’

FRIENDS of a much-missed young sportsman will cycle from London to Monmouth this Saturday (6 July) in his memory to raise money for charity.

Oliver ‘Shrub’ Hedges, 26, a former pupil at Monmouth Comprehensive who rowed at school and later went on to study mathematics at the University of Birmingham, died last September at his home in London, where he worked as a software developer in the City.

He is a keen cyclist and cycled from his home in Balham to his family in Monmouth from 4am in November 2022. His old school mates will complete the 160-mile route in tribute to their friend and in support of mental health charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably).

It is not the first time that his friends have come together to remember Oliver. Seventeen of them joined his father John for a 10-mile walk along the Wye and up the Kymin, including the last route Oliver walked in Monmouth in June before he passed away in September.

Oliver’s friend Matt also ran the London Marathon in his memory, raising £1,422 for the South London Mind charity.

And a group of friends raised money for calm by running 5km every day in November for Movember, raising £10,000.

Another friend is also participating in Iron Man Estonian in August to raise money.

Friend Callum Cook said on their JustGiving fundraising page: “Shrub was a really good cyclist and a few of us got to cycle with him in Birmingham during lockdown, along the Welsh coast and from Birmingham to London.

“In November 2022, Shrub set off at 3.51am and decided to cycle from London to Monmouth on his own.

“He didn’t make a big deal about it and just posted it on Strava with the title ‘night ride’.

“On July 6th this year we (a group of friends from university) plan to follow Shrub’s route from London to Monmouth.

“We’re going to make a bigger deal out of it than Shrub did and hopefully raise some money for CALM (Campaign Against Miserable Living).”

At the end of the tour, cyclists will be welcomed with a well-deserved beer at the Punch House on Agincourt Square.

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is a suicide prevention charity that helps people find the support they need. This includes a life-saving helpline for people who feel stuck, have lost someone to suicide, or are worried about their friends or loved ones.

To donate to the bike ride visit ‘Shrub’s fundraiser for CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)’ on justgiving.com and for more information visit www.thecalmzone.net