In 2023, Oscar Sinfield (Class of 2015) embarked on an extraordinary challenge, cycling 400 miles, visiting 121 veterinary practices across Somerset, over two days.  Motivated to promote mental wellbeing through cycling, Oscar was joined by enthusiastic veterinary colleagues, and raised over £5,600 for Vetlife, a charity that provides independent, confidential, and free support for everyone in the veterinary community, including students and non-clinical staff.

The experience left a lasting impression. “I met many wonderful people and had a hard, but fantastic (in retrospect) time” Oscar said. “I wanted to do another challenge on a more national scale and something that would continue promoting mental wellbeing through cycling but also let me talk directly to students about finding what helps them.”

This year, supported by his wife Caitlin, Oscar took his mission to the next level with an even greater challenge. Over 15 days, from 27 September to 11 October, he cycled to all 12 veterinary schools across Great Britain, covering more than 1,000 miles in a bid to raise an additional £10,000 for Vetlife. Along the route, he hosted wellbeing talks and evening events for students, aiming to inspire the next generation of veterinary professionals to prioritise their mental health. 

“The goal was to explore the beauty of our country while encouraging people of all abilities to join in the fun, whilst raising awareness and funds” Oscar explained.  For him, cycling is not just a sport but a form of therapy: “I use cycling to help with my mental wellbeing. It’s the feeling of freedom and peace that comes from being outdoors, something I wanted to share with as many people as possible.”

Throughout the journey, Oscar and Caitlin were joined by 27 fellow riders in total, friends, colleagues, and supporters from across the veterinary profession. Some stages drew particularly strong support: seven riders joined the Edinburgh to Glasgow leg, eight cycled from the Royal Veterinary College to Cambridge, and on the final stretch from Cambridge to Nottingham, the couple were joined by 4 supporters as well as 15 riders from Nottingham Vet School’s cycle club, to celebrate the final miles together.

“Every conversation we had was special” he reflects. “It was really enjoyable talking with students about what they do for mental health, their trials and worries, and how they could make time for wellbeing in their routines. Every vet school had its own character and feel, all were special.”

Cycling more than 1,000 miles is a test of both body and mind, but Oscar’s approach to preparation was simple: “All my training was my daily commute” he said. “I’m a strong believer that anybody can do these distances as long as they remember to eat! The main battle is psychological, taking it one day at a time.”

There were, of course, tough moments. “The hardest day was leaving our house on day seven with Storm Amy setting in. Tthe weather was abysmal and I really regretted not building in a rest day” he admitted. “But once the storm passed, the sun came out, and the second half of the journey felt full of hope again.”

Now home and reflecting on what he achieved, Oscar is clear about what matters most: “The ultimate aim of this challenge, beyond raising money,  was to inspire people to try cycling, or simply to find what helps their mental wellbeing and make it part of their routine. From the conversations we had along the way, I’m confident we made a real difference, which is really rewarding.”

So far, Oscar has raised 75% of his £10,000 target, but his message of hope, resilience, and community has already reached far beyond the miles he cycled.

If you’d like to support Oscar’s campaign for Vetlife, you can visit his fundraising page HERE

To find out more about Vetlife visit:Vetlife Online