A CYCLIST attempting a gruelling feat arrived in Blackburn recently to help mark 500 years of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP).

Dr Andrew (Bod) Goddard, RCP president-elect, dropped by Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital on Friday (June 15) as part of his 2,018-mile ride around the UK.

As part of that challenge, he cycled 48 miles between the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Royal Blackburn Hospital.

His mission is to visit as many hospitals as possible by the RCP’s birthday on September 23, and encourage members of the RCP to sign the new charter celebrating the milestone anniversary.

Dr Goddard said: “Very few organisations reach 500 years old, let alone with their original aims intact. This is a great opportunity, not just to celebrate our past, but also to promote medicine as a brilliant and rewarding career, and reaffirm our commitment to patients.

“I’m delighted to have this opportunity and hope to meet as many of our members around the country as possible.”

Originally set up in 1518, to protect people from unqualified medical practitioners, the RCP has developed this original mission into its present day pledge to provide the highest standards of patient care in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.