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Fancy a romantic weekend in Paris, darling?
PS You've got to cycle there first!
Pedal power is helping a costume designer make a marathon dash for charity cash.
When Nicola Tarbox, 35, suggested a romantic weekend away in Paris to her husband Simon, 35, he could not have guessed she was thinking of cycling the 285 miles from London.
The designer, who founded Flitton and Greenfield Players Youth Productions, will need all of her creative energy to complete the cross-Channel marathon and reach her goal of raising 1,100 for The Stroke Association.
She said: "I invited my husband to join me for a romantic weekend in Paris, but he didn't know that he had to cycle there first.
"I am frantically trying to train. I have an exercise bike and a new bike.
"I'm not an experienced cyclist, but what I lack in experience I make up for in enthusiasm and I am really excited at the prospect."
Mrs Tarbox, who lives in Rushden, is well under way with a strict training schedule for the challenge, which takes place in June.
Starting in Greenwich on June 11, the pair hope to finish up under the Eiffel Tower four days later.
She decided to raise money for The Stroke Association after witnessing the devastating effects of stroke.
"My grandfather has had many strokes over the years", she added.
"His first stroke was 25 years ago, which happened when I was a teenager.
"He used to run marathons every year and to see him go from someone who was used to running marathons to someone who was not able to walk or talk was frightening."
She is also well aware of the impact strokes can have on family and loved ones, turning them into carers overnight, and how vulnerable people of all ages are, as one of her friends suffered a
stroke at the age of 40.
Flitton and Greenfield Players Youth Productions, which she founded six years ago, will be putting on a number of performances to help raise funds.
Anyone wishing to sponsor Mrs Tarbox can contact her on 01933 418335 or visit www.justgiving.com/nickygoestoparis.
For information about The Stroke Association, call Chris Radmall on 0115 840 2685.
NOTE TO SUBS: pic on route from Northants office
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Friday 10 February 2012
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