Thomas Yaxley is cycling between every UK Air Ambulance air base in to raise funds for air ambulance charities
Thomas Yaxley is cycling between every UK Air Ambulance air base in to raise funds for air ambulance charities
We are excited to welcome remarkable fundraiser, Thomas Yaxley, to the charity’s Exeter airbase on Tuesday 12th August, 2025.
This summer, keen cyclist Thomas Yaxley, is taking on an extraordinary endurance cycling challenge in memory of his brother Hugo, who tragically died in a road traffic collision in 2020.
From 31st July to 13th August, Tom is cycling to every air ambulance base in the UK — a route covering over 3,000km and 25,000m of elevation — as part of the Ride4Hugo Air Base Challenge 2025.
Thomas is cycling from Perth in Scotland towards Cornwall, with a sea crossing to Northern Ireland and visits to 21 air ambulance charities across the UK. The never-before-attempted journey has been submitted for a Guinness World Record. Devon Air Ambulance’s Exeter airbase is Thomas’s penultimate stop before he takes on the final 86.8miles to complete his challenge in neighbouring Cornwall.
Tom is undertaking the challenge to mark five years since the accident that changed his family’s life forever.
On 16 November 2020, his brother Hugo, aged just 20, was fatally injured in a head-on collision. The incident required a rapid response from multiple emergency teams, including three air ambulances. Though Hugo sadly passed away later that day, the care provided gave his family precious final moments with him.
Now, Tom is raising vital funds for three charities that reflect Hugo’s life, values and the organisations involved that day:
- Air Ambulances UK – the national charity championing and supporting the UK’s 21 air ambulance charities
- Place2Be – delivering mental health support in schools
- HvH ARTS (Sir Hubert Von Herkomer Arts Foundation) – offering access to the arts for children and young people
Thomas is supporting HvH ARTS as it was a charity close to the heart of his Auntie Helen McCrory, best known for her performance in Peaky Blinders.
Thomas Yaxley who has organised the Ride4Hugo challenge, said:
Hugo loved adventure and believed in doing things differently. Five years on, I wanted to do something bold, something that reflects his energy – and also gives back to the organisations that supported us and mirror Hugo’s passions. Nobody’s ever taken on this challenge before – it’s going to be tough, but it’s nothing compared to what so many families go through when facing tragedy.
Lindsay Boswell, Interim CEO at Air Ambulances UK, said:
‘Ride4Hugo is an incredible tribute to Hugo and an extraordinary challenge. Thomas’s determination and the scale of this ride are inspiring. The money raised will support the lifesaving work of the UK’s air ambulance charities, ensuring more families get the critical care and chance that was offered to the Yaxley family. We are proud to be one of the charities supported and we’ll be cheering Tom on at every stage.’
The Devon Air ambulance crew is closely tracking Tom’s route and expect to welcome him to the Exeter Airbase at around 8pm on the evening of Tuesday 12th August.
Follow Thomas’ journey and donate.
We are so grateful to all of our fundraisers, many of whom are prompted to support us because of their own connections with our service. Find out more about how to get involved in fundraising for Devon Air Ambulance.
