Couple from Winthorpe to take on World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) event in London to raise funds for CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)

Two bold cyclists are preparing to bare all and saddle up to take on a unique nude fundraising challenge in aid of a cause close to their hearts.

Stephen Lewis and his partner Shane Goss, of Winthorpe, are preparing to take on the World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) event in London on Saturday June 14 to raise money and awareness of mental health and also brain tumours, as Steve has received surgery and treatment for a tumour himself.

In 2022, Steve noticed that he had started to bump into things and noticed that the red power light on the TV appeared to be dancing, and was suffering from double vision.

He went to his GP, who fortunately took his worries seriously and sent him for a scan at Lincoln County Hospital’s mobile unit — only to be called back half an hour later for a second scan, which Steve said was a huge “red flag” to him.

The second scan confirmed that it was a tumour, located behind his left eye which meant that it would be difficult to operate on, and it was unclear at the time if it was cancerous or not, or if it had penetrated his skull.

Steve was referred to a specialist surgeon at Sheffield Hospital, who managed to remove the tumour — a cholesterol granuloma — with careful surgery in August 2023, and the couple had to wait two to three weeks for the results, which thankfully showed that the tumour was not cancerous.

“It was such a tough time,” Steve said, “It really impacted on my mental health and wellbeing.

“The surgeon said that if the tumour hadn’t been found when it did, I would be blind and deaf by now.”

Shane added: “Even when we learned it wasn’t cancerous it was such a hard time, a bad year.

“It’s so hard seeing Steve in pain — it really makes you appreciate the little things.”

Steve, a train driver for EMR (East Midlands Railway), continues to take medication for the nerve damage that the tumour caused and sometimes still gets sharp pains, but he said his employers at EMR have been very supportive — and it is more support from train drivers that he is calling for now in the wake of his big challenge.

The idea for the naked bike ride came after Shane, who is also a train driver for Cross Country, took part in the event with friends last year.

After the tough year he suffered with his tumour and the impact it had on his mental health, Steve is aiming to raise fundraise for CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), a charity that works in suicide prevention and support.

“I really want to open a dialogue and stop the stigma around mental health, especially in men,” he said, “Being train drivers, sometimes it can get very lonely on long journeys and of course, we see some terrible things and I want to get the industry talking about mental health.”

He has now reached out to all of the train operators in the country to support him in his challenge — and has promised that if he receives support and/or donations from four or more companies, he will take on not only the World Naked Bike Ride event in London, but also further events in Brighton, Spain, and Scotland.

If any train companies would be interested in sponsoring or supporting the couple’s nude cycling challenge, they can email Steve on stephenalewis87@gmail.com

Obviously, taking on a 20-mile bike ride with no clothing or ‘padding’, Steve knew he would have to take precautions to avoid uncomfortable chafing while taking part in the challenge.

He reached out to folding bike company MiRiDER to explain his challenge who have not only donated to his cause, but also gifted him a bike and gel seat padding to make the challenge more comfortable.

“I’d rather do this a thousand times over than go through that [the brain tumour] again,” Steve said.

The JustGiving for his fundraiser is at https://www.justgiving.com/page/stephen-lewis-1?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=WA&utm_campaign=015, and he has so far raised more than £500 for CALM.

Alternatively, you can scan the QR code below.

Steve is also hoping to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of brain tumours, as many people would only think to seek help if they were experiencing seizures.

Common symptoms of brain tumours include headaches, seizures, persistent nausea and/or vomiting), drowsiness, mental or behavioural changes, such as memory problems or changes in personality, progressive weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, and vision or speech problems.

The NHS’s advice is to see a GP if you have these types of symptoms, particularly if you have a headache that feels different than usual, or if headaches are getting worse.