Joyce backs her heroes

Joyce Hudson, of Bishophill, is holding a fundraising day for York's LifeCycle team - to which she owes her life after suffering heart failure.

Joyce's husband dialled 999 last April after she collapsed at home.

In two minutes, a member of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service's LifeCycle team was on her doorstep.

He administered the vital treatment she needed, before back up arrived from ambulance paramedics Terry Rawcliffe and Tim O'Dowd.

Joyce was taken to York Hospital by ambulance where she spent a week recovering.

"They said in hospital that the fact a cycling paramedic had been able to attend so quickly did literally save my life," said Joyce.

"If I'd been out in the sticks somewhere, I'd have lost my life."

LifeCycle is the name of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service's bicycling response team. Set up in 2001, it now has six regular members - although ten Yorkshire Ambulance paramedics are trained to ride.

Now Joyce is holding a day-long fundraising event at St Crux hall on Pavement, to raise funds and awareness of the work of LifeCycle, which is funded partly through sponsorship and charitable donations.

There will be an all-day coffee shop running from 9.30am to 4.30pm, with lunches and a cake and bric-a-brac stall.

It is hoped the day can raise enough funds to buy all-weather jackets for the team of paramedics who spend ten hours at a time on their bikes.

Craig said: "I'm really happy that our contribution has made a difference to somebody's life - it makes the job worthwhile.

"It's also fantastic that Joyce has gone to all this trouble for us, it's a lovely gesture that will make our working environment so much nicer with new kit."

It is hoped as many members of the public as possible will come to the event, which is being held at St Crux on Thursday.

The two major supporters of LifeCycle are York Business Pride chairman Adam Sinclair, and Bishopthorpe Road bike shop Cycle Heaven, whose staff look after paramedics' bicycles for free.