Friends, 12, win award for 250-mile charity ride

Two 12-year-old friends have won a national award for their fundraising after a 250-mile cycle ride to France.

Iris and Esmae, from Rugby, set out on the London-to-Paris bike ride to raise money for the charity Sense, which supports Iris' sister Mia, with mum Iris heading up a support team for them.

Mia, 19, was born with a rare genetic condition that left her blind and with cerebral palsy.

During the 10-day ride, the pair raised close to £18,000 and have now been jointly named Fundraiser of the Year at the Sense Awards 2026.

Iris said that it all began with a phone call.

"I phoned Esmae and said, 'Can I ask you a weird question? Would you want to cycle to Paris?'." Esmae said yes and the pair went from there.

The girls began their five day adventure at the London Eye on 23 June, from where they cycled across the South Downs to Newhaven, catching a ferry across the Channel.

Esmae says taking on the South Downs was the toughest part.

"Day two, you had the most hills and they were really steep," she said.

"It was challenging, especially the second day."

Iris' mum Fran agreed, saying "going over the South Downs, and it was pouring with rain. But they were just so resilient".

"[But] they were laughing all the way to Paris" she added.

As well as having Fran cycling alongside them, family friend Tina Downie and Iris' grandad Ed, 73, who followed behind them in a car, were all providing support.

They finished the ride at Notre Dame cathedral on 3 July.

"It didn't really sink in at first," Iris said. "Because we were going through the busy streets of Paris and it was really tense.

"Then we got to Notre Dame and I just kind of thought to myself, 'Oh my gosh, I've just cycled to Paris'."

But Fran said she never doubted that they'd make it.

"I know what they're like", Fran said. "And I know that when they decide something, they normally make it happen."

The pair won the award after smashing their £10,500 target having inspired donations from complete strangers through their posts on social media.

"We thought, 'Oh well, maybe they might raise a £1,000'," Fran said. "And now the total is nearly £18,000."

"People have donated large amounts anonymously", the 44-year-old continued. "We still don't know who they are."

The disability charity revealed to the girls that they'd won the award during an interview for the charity's social media channels.

"They asked us a question, if we were to receive the award how would we feel?", Esmae said.

"And then we said we'd feel really proud and then they said: 'Well good, because you've won it'."

Caroline Buckland, head of community fundraising at Sense, said they "caught the public's imagination".

"[They] caused a real stir at Sense too – we were cheering them on all the way," she said.

The cash will now help them support "more disabled people with complex needs to enjoy life to the full", Buckland added.

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