A fundraising couple will be stopping in Ivybridge on their eight-stop tour of south west England tomorrow morning.

Ben Arnett is taking on the “challenge of a lifetime” this week by cycling to all eight of the Blue Sky Fostering offices in just five days. Ben will be supported on the 500-mile ride by his girlfriend, Sophie, who is a Blue Sky social worker at the agency’s Portslade office.

The offices span five counties across the south and the agency’s local Ivybridge office will welcome him after the longest day of cycling which will involve a 135-mile journey between Ringwood in Hampshire and the Devon base of Ivybridge.

Ben, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 13, began his journey on Monday in Chatham, Kent, alongside Sophie in her car.

Ben and Sophie, from Shoreham-by-Sea, are raising funds for two charities close to their hearts - the Childs i Foundation and Diabetes UK.

The Childs i Foundation is supported yearly by Blue Sky Fostering and helps place abandoned children in Uganda among fostering families. Sophie is travelling there this October to share her skills as a social worker and to see first-hand how the funds raised from the cycle will be put to use.

Ben is also on a personal mission to raise funds for Diabetes UK and “prove that living with the condition doesn’t mean you can’t push yourself to the limits!”

Ben said: “The charity’s ultimate vision is a world where diabetes can do no harm. So, for obvious reasons, Diabetes UK is one that I wholeheartedly support because, let’s face it, being a diabetic is a bit of a pain in the backside that I, and every other diabetic, could do without!”

Blue Sky staff and local foster carers from Ivybridge’s office will be sending off Ben and Sophie at 10am tomorrow, Thursday, September 27.

Ben’s journey will finish at Blue Sky’s Basingstoke office where he will be greeted by family, friends and many of the agency’s staff and fostering families.

Blue Sky Fostering is a network of hubs around the south of England, each serving their own areas and meeting local needs. Blue Sky has been rated Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ at every inspection, and works with experienced and dedicated teams and carers to achieve the best outcomes for the young people in their care.

To donate and support the couple, visit either of their Just Giving pages; www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sophie-bright04; and www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ben-arnett.