ENDURING 260 miles, rain, early starts and a biker's suntan, Sergeant Major Steve Drewery has completed the Kent to Devon cycle ride for education charity CVQO, raising more than £3,000 for cadets at Okehampton Army Cadet Force Summer Camp.

The money will allow cadets at the camp to take the CVQO-led BTEC Level 1 Certificate in Teamwork, Personal Skills and Citizenship.

Cycling up to 90 miles per day, Sgt Maj Drewery was waved off by the Lord Lieutenant of Kent at Penshurst Place in Kent last Thursday and arrived to cheers at Okehampton Summer Camp on Saturday. The three-day bike ride took him via Winchester and Bridport before arriving in Okehampton. His journey was widely followed on social media and his fundraising total continued to increase as he got closer to the finishing line.

The CVQO-led BTEC Level 1 qualification provides an introduction to vocational learning for 13 to 15 year olds. It is delivered alongside the existing cadet force syllabus and there is no additional work required as the qualification has been designed to complement and enhance the existing cadet awards.

Sgt Maj Drewery, who is training safety advisor for Kent 2 Brigade, said it had been 'emotional' and on hearing his final fundraising total commented: 'If it funds 30 young kids, it's all worthwhile.'