Patients and staff at Lynn’s hospital are taking on a virtual cycling challenge to help fund a specialist library for people recovering from a stroke.

The stroke unit team on the West Raynham Ward at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital has launched the second stage of its equipment appeal by challenging patients and staff to collectively cycle 979 miles – the equivalent of Land’s End to John O’Groats – using a newly funded specialist exercise bike.

They hope to raise £10,000 through sponsorship for the remainder of the challenge.

The adaptive exercise bike – purchased using money raised by the ward team during a sponsored 57‑mile hike across the Norfolk coast in October – is already playing a valuable role in patient rehabilitation.

Suitable for both ambulatory and wheelchair users, it enables stroke patients to increase mobility and improve flexibility in their arms and legs.

John Syson, a keen cyclist and director of people at QEH, was one of the first to get into the saddle of the adaptive bike to kickstart the fundraiser with West Raynham staff.

After notching the first mile on the race clock, he said: “It was great to be involved in launching the appeal with the team and experience the benefits of the new bike and what a difference it makes for stroke patients.

“It’s wonderful that the hospital’s QEHKL charity is supporting the ward appeal for more specialist equipment and I am sure that together staff and patients will complete their long-distance challenge.”

Scott Ablett, senior physiotherapist, said: “Now we have this new equipment, we are able to put it to good use. By involving patients directly in our Land’s End to John O’Groats challenge, we hope to motivate them throughout their physiotherapy and encourage them to go a little further each time.”

With the bike in place, the ward’s fundraising focus has shifted to creating an aphasia library. This dedicated space will provide accessible reading materials designed to support speech, language and cognitive recovery.

Aphasia is a condition that affects a person’s ability to speak, read, write and understand language, and is often caused by stroke or brain injury.

Ella-Louise Hamilton, speech and language therapist at the QEH, said: “Following a stroke, damage to the language centres in the brain can result in aphasia, affecting a person’s ability to understand language, find words, read, or write.

“Reading can play an important role in recovery, as well as offering social and emotional benefits.

“We would like to create a dedicated reading space for patients on West Raynham with material suited to different levels of ability. This will allow us to provide appropriate resources that support language therapy and help patients regain confidence.”

Funds raised through the virtual cycle will be used to purchase materials for the new aphasia library, supporting both the rehabilitation and wellbeing of stroke patients.

To support the appeal for the QEH stroke unit’s new aphasia library, visit www.qehklcharity.co.uk/about/current-appeals/