RESIDENTS and staff at two care homes played their part in a nationwide fundraising drive which saw cyclists ride hundreds of miles.

Care UK directors Andrew Knight, Jacqui White and Tony Weedon visited 26 of the company's residential homes on the 800 mile challenge– Ride 800.

The riders cycled from Poole to Aberdeen– the locations of Care UK’s most southerly and northerly homes– to raise money for the Care Workers Charity, Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer Scotland.

Stop number 20 on the route– Kings Court care home in Barnard Castle– and 21– Stanley Park in Stanley– provided welcome respite and support during the 15 day challenge.

At Kings Court, the care team hosted afternoon tea during a celebratory event for the team and residents decorated a bicycle with the theme ‘beautiful Teesdale’ and raised £95 to support the initiative.

Residents at the Stanley cheered the cyclists on and the Craghead Colliery Band played Super Trouper, before staff held afternoon tea in honour of the special guests which raised £200 to support the initiative.

A supported cycle taken to all of the 26 homes gave residents a chance to relive old cycling memories.