Charity worker plans 620-mile bike ride

Taking in the temples of Angkor Wat, the busy streets of Phnom Penh, and the beauty of the Cambodian coast, Anna, along with two Cambodian guides, will lead a group through the country for 20 days starting on Christmas Eve.

The ride is to raise money for PEPY, an education and youth leadership organisation working with young people in rural Cambodia.

Ms McKeon, 31, who attended Cardinal Heenan High School and Notre Dame 6th form college and after university worked in Leeds in television production and digital media, moved from Leeds in 2011 to work in Cambodia helping a rural education project. Her parents now live in Otley.

She said: “Cambodian youth struggle with access to education, a lack of quality education and minimal job opportunities – especially for those living outside of cities.

“Through the ride we hope to raise around £5000 to support the continuation of PEPY’s projects.

“Cambodia is beautiful so the opportunity to explore the countryside on a bike at weekends is brilliant, although after a hard 60km training ride you do get sore legs. However, it’s more difficult helping people back home to understand what I’m doing and why I’m doing it.

“I feel so lucky to have had the opportunities I had in life and I want to support my colleagues in Cambodia in their work with young people in the countryside as they try and succeed and create a life for themselves.”

For more information visit www.pepycambodia.org and to support Anna visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Annamck.