Claire Brown – 10th December 2025 – 1.15pm.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service paramedic from Birmingham will be taking on a gruelling epic charity cycle in Saudi Arabia in the New Year for orphans in Gaza.
Erdington-based Paramedic Adi Ahmed, who has worked for the service for 12 years, is set to embark on the Pedal4Orpans challenge to cycle a phenomenal distance of over 550km between two of Islam’s holiest of cities; Makkah to Madinah.
The route, which crosses desert and mountainous terrain, will see Adi cycle for around four days with around 60 others taking part in the challenge. Adi aims to raise £3,000 to fund five orphans with the chance to make the pilgrimage to Makkah – a sacred, spiritual journey for the Islamic faith.
Once Adi reaches Makkah, he will then have the privilege to personally accompany the children he funds to perform Umrah as well as provide them with food, clothing and essential support.
Father of four Adi, 36, from Edgbaston, Adi will also be an official medic helping riders and children during the trip. Talking about the challenge, he said:
I’m not a cyclist at all and the last time I cycled was 20 years ago so when my family said they’d signed me up to take part in this challenge I was a little surprised! I’ve never done a challenge like this before, but I’ve been training hard for the last four months to get as physically ready as possible because I want to succeed. Umrah for Muslims is deeply significant, and I’d love to be able to give children affected by the war in Gaza the chance to undertake the pilgrimage.”
Find out more about the challenge and support Adi.
ENDS
Notes to Editor:
Pedal 4 Orphans is a flagship Cycling challenge from Unique Children’s Charity in partnership with Global Ehsan Relief. Now being the second year, participants from across the UK will be taking part in this gruelling epic journey from Makkah to Madinah, covering a phenomenal distance of over 550km between two of Islam’s holiest of cities. This journey symbolises the migration that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) took as he fled persecution in Makkah and travelled to Madinah for safety. The Annual Hijrah Ride supports orphan children facing mental health challenges, war, and poverty, providing them with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform Umrah.