Presenter completes 1980s Comic Relief challenge

Gavin Kermack
BBC News, West Midlands
Listen on BBC Sounds: Tammy's Retro Ride to Work

A local radio presenter has completed a challenge to get to work using only modes of transport associated with the 1980s.

Tammy Gooding, who presents the breakfast show at BBC Hereford & Worcester, took on the Retro Ride to Work challenge to raise money for this year's Red Nose Day, in aid of Comic Relief - which began in 1985.

She covered the eight miles between her home and the office on vehicles including a Raleigh Chopper, a space hopper, and an electric milk float.

"Life doesn't get much better," said Ms Gooding after the challenge. "I've seen a lot of people smile today."

Ms Gooding arrived at BBC Hereford & Worcester shortly after 12:00 GMT, about five hours after setting off from Malvern.

A woman with long dark hair is giving the thumbs-up to the camera as she sits atop a blue bike. She is wearing a cycling helmet, a pink tutu, a "Choose Life" T-shirt, black leggings and brightly-coloured ankle warmers.
Ms Gooding's first form of transport was a BMX Burner

She began by riding a BMX Burner - a bicycle she rode as a child - and said she had plenty of support from the start.

"People have been tooting their horns, waving and wishing me well," she said.

A woman in a white T-shirt is in the passenger seat of an open-top vintage red car. She is laughing and smiling while a man next to her drives.
A classic Morgan car was another mode of transport adopted by Ms Gooding

From there, she switched to a skipping rope, a car from the Malvern-based Morgan Motor Company, a space hopper, a scooter and a milk float.

The lower half of a person sitting on an orange space hopper decorated with a silly face. The person is wearing black leggings and a pair of brightly coloured ankle warmers.
A space hopper was employed at one stage during the journey

After she dropped the float back off at Bennetts Farms in Worcester, Ms Gooding drove a go-kart, rode a skateboard, and walked part of the way in moon boots.

A woman with long dark hair, wearing a cycling helmet, laughs as she rides a red chopper bicycle in front of a building.
Ms Gooding's final mode of transport was a classic Raleigh Chopper

When she finally arrived at the radio station atop a Raleigh Chopper, she was greeted by a team of cheerleaders from the University of Worcester.

Ms Gooding said that while some modes of transport were tougher to get grips with than others, she had had "the best time".

And she said it was a pleasure to celebrate the 1980s while raising money for a worthy cause.

A woman wearing a T-shirt of the band The Police, a cycling helmet, a pink tutu and black leggings is smiling as she passes underneath a balloon arch. On either side of her are cheerleaders in blue leotards and holding blue and silver pom-poms.
Ms Gooding was welcomed to BBC Hereford & Worcester by an army of cheerleaders

"I turned 13 in 1985, the year that Comic Relief launched, and it was just such a great decade", she said.

"Thank you for pledging to say that you're going to donate to Comic Relief - because that's what it's all about."

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