Josh was due to take on the Festive 500 in 2025 - a challenge to cycle 500 kilometres in one go around the infamous Herne Hill Velodrome. However, after a period of serious ill health, a hospital admission and a diagnosis of bowel disease, completing the challenge simply wasn’t possible. At that point, getting back on a bike was difficult enough, let alone riding 500km.
The year that followed brought a difficult and unpredictable health journey, including major surgery and a long road back to fitness. But Josh has come back with a vengeance. In 2026, he is returning to finish what he started and take on the full Festive 500.
For Josh, cycling has always been much more than exercise. He joined the British Armed Forces at just 16 years old and served for 10 years before being medically discharged after developing a heart condition.
Before his health deteriorated, Josh competed as a high-level cyclist, becoming both an Armed Forces Champion and Royal Navy Champion during his cycling career. Although he is now a civilian and no longer competes at that level, the competitive streak certainly hasn’t disappeared. He continues to train regularly and, perhaps questionably, still has enough drive and determination to think that riding 500km in winter is a good idea.
This challenge is about more than completing something that illness prevented him from doing last year. Josh is using the ride to raise money for two causes that have become incredibly personal to him.
In Memory of Lily-Mae Fisher
On 3 June 2026, three members of the Royal Navy tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash while serving: Lt Lily-Mae Fisher, Lt Cdr Chris Gayson and Po Owen Green.
The loss of all three has been deeply felt across not just the Armed Forces community but nationwide. Josh wants to recognise and reme
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