Two members of Stanborough Park Seventh-Day Adventist Church will be undertaking sponsored cycle rides raising funds for Garston-based STOP International, a charity that provides financial and material aid to orphanages in Tamil-Nadu state in India.

STOP founder, Garston grandfather Kish Poddar, a science teacher at Stanborough Secondary School, will be undertaking his third London-Paris cycle ride with a group of friends during half term.

Setting off on Sunday they will undertake the first leg of the journey finishing at Calais. Borrowing the minibus used by the church's weekly soup run as a support vehicle equipped with camping stoves, nights will be spent in local bed and breakfast accommodation before reaching their destination at the Eiffel Tower on Thursday.

John Cooper is one of the twelve STOP International Trustees, will and accompany Kish on the ride for the first time. This year he will also undertake the Land's End to John O'Groats cycle.

STOP International aims to relieve the suffering of orphans, by building homes for them and raising financial support.

Since its beginnings in 2001 with British volunteers undertaking a project to build an enclosure for chickens at one orphanage which would provide food and income the charity has completed 20 projects helping more than 250 children.

In addition to raising funds for STOP, John is also planning to help Stanborough Park Church's Community Chaplaincy Service in Watford - demonstrating Christian charity by meeting the needs of the local Garston community in whatever form is necessary.

Anyone wishing to sponsor the riders can contact STOP International founder Kish Poddar on Kish Poddar or through the charity's web http://www.stop-intl.org.uk/site.