A CHARITY cycle in memory of a Dunfermline speech and language therapist has raised £4,260 for the foundation set up in her name.

Nicola Murray died from Ovarian cancer in 2010 at the age of 34.

A group of her friends, Paul Barry, Sean Duncan, Stuart Downie and Kevin Duncan, got on their bikes last week to complete the North Coast 500 challenge for the Nicola Murray Foundation. 

The quartet previously climbed into the saddle in 2012 when they cycled from Edinburgh to Lourdes in France, a place they had previously been with Nicola.

This time they were joined by some guest cyclists and had a back up team for support. Starting at Inverness Castle, they pedalled the coastal edges of the north Highlands including Ullapool, John O’Groats and Dornoch before returning to the castle. 

Paul said: “It went really well and we smashed our fundraising target. It has been an absolutely amazing achievement for us all and we were delighted we could do that for the Nicola Murray Foundation.”

The five day challenge saw the team average 96 miles a day and the memory of their friend helped them reach the finish line.

“Nicola was always in our minds,” added Paul. “Even though we got pummelled by the weather, we always felt that maybe she was looking over us to make sure we got safely to the end.”
The Nicola Murray Foundation was set up by her family as a means to perpetuate the care and concern that the former St Columba’s High pupil showed to others in her life.

More than £200,000 has now been raised in her name. 

As a result, the Nicola Murray Centre for Ovarian Cancer Research was opened at the University of Edinburgh in April last year.