Three young Tamworthians will put their cycling endurance to the test tomorrow night to raise money for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.

Taylor Fletcher, Will Lulham and, hopefully, Nic Hinwood will take turns on a stationary bike at Tamworth City Bowling Club, doing a ride through virtual terrain.

Mrs Fletcher said the lighthearted event was a “last-ditch training attempt” before the three Rotary Club of Tamworth Sunrise members take part in September’s Ride 4 the Chopper.

“The whole point of raising money for the helicopter is to get out there, have fun and get the community involved, and we thought this would be a good way to make idiots of ourselves … and shake the tin,” she said.

At this stage, Mrs Fletcher and Mr Lulham are locked in, but Mr Hinwood’s in question after being struck down with a bug.

This either means a last-minute replacement or the other two taking on a bigger share of the work.

They hope to raise $4000, which Mrs Fletcher said would keep the rescue chopper in the air for a day.

The event is the team effort of BC Bike Shop, Mr Lulham’s Namoi Sustainable Energy, Mr Hinwood’s KEO Design, and Tamworth City Bowling Club.

Thursday 12:45pm update: If Mr Hinwood is still out of action, his wife Lisa Hinwood will be stepping in – and she reckons that alone is worth a donation.

Friday 2.50pm update: The Hinwood team is a late scratching due to illness, but veteran Ride 4 the Chopper participant Tony Housden will step in. Putting his hand up for the charity event tonight is made even more incredible by the fact that it’s just a few months since Mr Housden was seriously injured in a bike accident on Armidale Rd earlier this year. He’s reportedly volunteered for this event as part of his recovery.

The Ride 4 the Chopper starts on September 15, runs from Woolgoolga and Tamworth, and covers about 650km over six days.

Mr Lulham did the ride for the first time last year, but Mrs Fletcher and Mr Hinwood are newbies.

Mr Lulham and Mr Hinwood will do the whole ride, and Mrs Fletcher’s doing the four-day Ride Within a Ride.

Mr Lulham’s been cycling socially for about four years.

To train for the Ride, he’s been doing anything from 20km to 50km with the Ride 4 the Chopper group from the Calala Inn some Sundays. He also does 20km three times a week on his own or with a friend.

Mrs Fletcher has been cycling for only about three months. The WRHS marketing officer went on the Ride 4 the Chopper as a support person a couple of years ago.

“They’ve been pestering me to get on the bike and join them for a little while now, so I was able to get four days out of the office and on the road,” she said.

“I’m very much the novice.

“I’m probably most nervous about the two 90km days I’m part of – but they keep telling me if you can do 20km, you can do 100km.

“And they keep saying there’s not many hills in the parts I’m doing, but I don’t quite believe that, either.”