Woolacombe brothers cycle length of Spain for mental health charity

Two brothers from Woolacombe are cycling nearly the entire length of Spain on a budget, using bicycles that cost them under £100 combined, all to raise funds for the mental health charity Mind. 

Aaron Evans, a deckhand on yachts, and Daniel Evans, a self-employed professional in the music industry, embarked on the journey from Bilbao in northern Spain and have already covered 800km of the 1,000km trek to Tarifa in the south.

With no formal training and only limited resources, the Evans brothers initially aimed to complete the journey in ten days, but severe storms in Spain have delayed their progress. The idea for this challenge came to them after a previous fundraising trip hitchhiking across the UK for North Devon Hospice.

Inspired by that experience, they decided to take on a tougher test and chose Mind as their charity.

“I had my own mental health struggles recently,” Aaron shared. 

“I was lucky to have access to a therapist. I know that many people don’t have that luxury and Mind can help those wanting to reach out for help.”

So far, the brothers have raised close to £900 for the cause and are hopeful that sharing their story will boost their efforts. 

They chose inexpensive, second-hand bikes; one bought from Facebook Marketplace for £30 and another from a recycling center for £15; to add an extra layer of challenge to the trip. 

Aaron explained: “The reason we did it on such cheap bikes and with no training was to challenge ourselves to see wether or not we could do it. It’s certainly been tough, so finishing will be a big accomplishment.”

As they near the final 240km of their journey, Aaron and Daniel hope to raise further awareness and funds for Mind, believing that mental health support has never been more essential. 

You can support the brothers here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/cycle-across-spain