Angela trains for her tour to France (From Haringey Independent)

Angela trains for her tour to France

5:52pm Thursday 27th March 2008 in

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Imagine this. You've just been made redundant, so you've got some time on your hands. Then your doctor tells you, ever so politely, to lose a couple of pounds.

These are exactly the circumstances Tottenham resident and mother-of-three Angela Simoes, 55, faced recently. It would have been easy for Angela to shut herself away and bemoan her misfortune, but the former legal secretary decided to get on her bike and raise some money for charity.

This summer, on July 15, Angela will set off from Crystal Palace, pedal 74 miles to Dover, hop on a ferry to France, and then cycle another 184 miles to Paris. All this despite only taking up cycling after winning a bike in a competition.

She said: "I thought a bike ride from London to Paris sounded romantic.

"I've been made redundant recently, my three daughters are grown up, and I have a lot of time on my hands, so I thought to myself: I'm going to cycle to Paris'. What I'm not going to do is waste time moping about losing my job.

"I think it sends a good message to other women my age. You are never too old to get active and it's much better than sitting around letting your brain and your body turn to mush."

Angela, of Higham Road, has joined Edmonton Cycle Club for support and to help with her training.

And with 16 weeks to go, she is now cycling every day to improve her fitness.

She said: "Before I started cycling, I didn't do any exercise apart from occasionally working out to an old exercise video.

"Even though I don't consider myself overweight, my doctor told me to lose a stone. All this training should definitely help me to lose the weight."

Mrs Simeos hopes to raise £1,000 for global charity Médecins du Monde, which provides medical aid to people affected by civil wars and natural disasters.

She said: "I'm doing this for the experience and to raise money for a good cause.

"Goodness knows how I will get on. I'm just going to take my time and enjoy the ride."

For more information about Angela's own Tour de France, or to sponsor her, visit her fund-raising page at justgiving.com/angelasimoes7