A Bradford consultant is leading a team of medical professionals on a cycling trip from London to Paris to raise money for a charity close to their hearts.

Dr Sam Ackroyd is a consultant haematologist and haemophila director at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and when he found out the World Federation of Hemophilia was holding its 2012 conference in Paris he decided it was too good an opportunity to miss.

He pulled together a team of professionals – the Haem Team – to cycle to Paris over three days to raise money for The Haemophilia Society.

The charity is the only national and independent organisation for all people affected by bleeding disorders.

“The international conference was in part the motivation to cycle there,” said Dr Ackroyd, 36, a keen cyclist.

“There are 13 of us in total – doctors, nurses, physios and also people from the drug company that makes Factor 8, which is the treatment for haemophilia.

“We are all going to the conference in Paris and we are hoping to raise £10,000.”

The team will set off from London for Newhaven on Thursday, July 5, and then spend two days cycling to Paris, with a 30-mile ride into the French capital on the last day, July 8.

“It is taking quite a lot of organising,” said Dr Ackroyd. “The drugs company, Novo Nordisk and Grifols, have been generous and are supplying a support vehicle and cycling shirts with the team logo on.”

Dr Ackroyd will spend four days in Paris at the conference, joined by colleagues from Bradford.

“The main emphasis is trying to improve care in the third world,” he said.

Sponsor the team at just giving.com/cycletocongress, text VAKD79 plus the amount to 70070, or call the Society on (0207) 831 020.