10/10/2025
Edward’s Journey: Cycling from Istanbul to Brighton for Guild Care
Edward, originally from Horsham and now living in the Worthing area, is cycling home from Istanbul to Brighton to raise money for Guild Care.
His grandfather Doug, aged 87, recently moved from the Midlands to Durrington. Doug was a keen cyclist in his youth, but even he admits he would never have taken on such a challenge.
When Edward announced he planned to cycle home as part of his travels, his family thought he might start from France or Germany, not Istanbul. Doug says Edward is made of true grit, and we couldn’t agree more!
Edward left the UK in February and has travelled through Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Nepal, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, Czechia, Germany and now Sweden, with a small detour to visit a friend he met on his journey.
He began cycling in Istanbul on what he calls his “hunk of junk” bike, which he bought for about 100 euros. When his family found out, they offered him £800 to buy something better, but Edward stuck with his bargain bike until it broke down. It wasn’t built for such a long ride, with a sticking brake and a chain that kept falling off, but he kept going and even promised to return his friend’s bike once he gets home.
Along the way, Edward has faced dog attacks in Turkey, survived on just £5 a day, and slept most nights in a hammock or sleeping bag, occasionally being taken in by kind strangers. Despite having little cycling experience before this trip, he’s now covering the equivalent of the famous London to Brighton Bike Ride and back TWICE a day.
Edward is expected home around early November. His determination and spirit have inspired everyone following his incredible journey.
We at Guild Care are so proud and excited for Edward and everything he has achieved.
We couldn’t support over 3,000 people in the local area without people like him.
Those who go the extra mile, quite literally, to help make a difference.
Support Ed’s fundraising for Guild Care here:
👉 https://ow.ly/hiRq50X94As