![“I told my wife: this could have been me and my family - if my father hadn’t emigrated to Britain in 1985,” Mr Lamaa, 38, told The National. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TEJZHHVJD6D3JS2TS3XVISYBOE.jpg?smart=true&auth=157cc1c79cf471ba9dbda15735ac05b3d61b3cdf0e8b878ded229f3b39ba0acd&width=400&height=225)
![Eddie Lamaa embarked on a biking trip from Britain to Lebanon to raise money for the Lebanese Red Cross, one of the country’s few non-sectarian institutions. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4MEHKJEV4C5IJBAW3KYQTRVTSY.jpg?smart=true&auth=a79b18af93bd16482314d9c2f22c82824fe18fcbda1ee7d03af2817f33261002&width=400&height=225)
![The Lebanese-British man biked 4,200 kilometres to raise funds for Beirut after the August 4 port explosion. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/Z2JB66DXAZDDIJ7M5YB7BGUJYA.jpg?smart=true&auth=84f2e7e1244428bd2ab9bd4b97aa09ce939423be224da79689de7c59e9219ab5&width=400&height=225)
![Eddie Lamaa's journey took 40 days. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PG3UGMWJXKLQBKIVYV5ZAEA3P4.jpg?smart=true&auth=def1ace5d8fec5fc9d4db45224a0ebb62ed0f5d608b6802fb8e6b10d62648075&width=400&height=225)
![Mr Lamaa's route took him across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RLJSKTGFKBLPQQO3CVVCKE5PQY.jpg?smart=true&auth=d8bd07f3595d4d4041eb6943d2ecc6cd9553de98e2f476d550f36a4a863a0270&width=400&height=225)
![Mr Lamaa felt compelled to come to the aid of the homeland he left when he was only three. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QVRO6D3F2EC75ZS65NZPZDLH7Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=42f213f27f5386f0ebb3ef8f90eb952782981610c41f6c9d6e663582a72c8b94&width=400&height=225)
![He documented his 40-day course on Instagram and Facebook, with the aim of drawing funds and support to his cause. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3JLTP4DMJMHMYAGLAHCSNJ72DY.jpg?smart=true&auth=0e3bdc7eeb49fc23d698a703728b54fe74610d376b2db39ba977bacc98ccf30e&width=400&height=225)
![Friends and family donated much of the £56,000 he raised in cash. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HJCAHDY52KDAAGDHJ3VCBIL5X4.jpg?smart=true&auth=91a2b90c8763cc79fef45413af87e43cc5173102d0022911e8223af87205b6b5&width=400&height=225)
![The funds have gone to the British Red Cross in Lebanon, which has played a major role in supporting survivors of the blast. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WQTYFJHRR7O6CM6R73CLKOEGB4.jpg?smart=true&auth=94c595b45de7b9992b679e466d9e0b51eba4767388d163287ca0dc0d70d7f6d0&width=400&height=225)
![“I told my wife: this could have been me and my family - if my father hadn’t emigrated to Britain in 1985,” Mr Lamaa, 38, told The National. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TEJZHHVJD6D3JS2TS3XVISYBOE.jpg?smart=true&auth=157cc1c79cf471ba9dbda15735ac05b3d61b3cdf0e8b878ded229f3b39ba0acd&width=400&height=225)
![Eddie Lamaa embarked on a biking trip from Britain to Lebanon to raise money for the Lebanese Red Cross, one of the country’s few non-sectarian institutions. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4MEHKJEV4C5IJBAW3KYQTRVTSY.jpg?smart=true&auth=a79b18af93bd16482314d9c2f22c82824fe18fcbda1ee7d03af2817f33261002&width=400&height=225)
![The Lebanese-British man biked 4,200 kilometres to raise funds for Beirut after the August 4 port explosion. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/Z2JB66DXAZDDIJ7M5YB7BGUJYA.jpg?smart=true&auth=84f2e7e1244428bd2ab9bd4b97aa09ce939423be224da79689de7c59e9219ab5&width=400&height=225)
![Eddie Lamaa's journey took 40 days. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PG3UGMWJXKLQBKIVYV5ZAEA3P4.jpg?smart=true&auth=def1ace5d8fec5fc9d4db45224a0ebb62ed0f5d608b6802fb8e6b10d62648075&width=400&height=225)
![Mr Lamaa's route took him across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RLJSKTGFKBLPQQO3CVVCKE5PQY.jpg?smart=true&auth=d8bd07f3595d4d4041eb6943d2ecc6cd9553de98e2f476d550f36a4a863a0270&width=400&height=225)
![Mr Lamaa felt compelled to come to the aid of the homeland he left when he was only three. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QVRO6D3F2EC75ZS65NZPZDLH7Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=42f213f27f5386f0ebb3ef8f90eb952782981610c41f6c9d6e663582a72c8b94&width=400&height=225)
![He documented his 40-day course on Instagram and Facebook, with the aim of drawing funds and support to his cause. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3JLTP4DMJMHMYAGLAHCSNJ72DY.jpg?smart=true&auth=0e3bdc7eeb49fc23d698a703728b54fe74610d376b2db39ba977bacc98ccf30e&width=400&height=225)
![Friends and family donated much of the £56,000 he raised in cash. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HJCAHDY52KDAAGDHJ3VCBIL5X4.jpg?smart=true&auth=91a2b90c8763cc79fef45413af87e43cc5173102d0022911e8223af87205b6b5&width=400&height=225)
![The funds have gone to the British Red Cross in Lebanon, which has played a major role in supporting survivors of the blast. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WQTYFJHRR7O6CM6R73CLKOEGB4.jpg?smart=true&auth=94c595b45de7b9992b679e466d9e0b51eba4767388d163287ca0dc0d70d7f6d0&width=400&height=225)
![“I told my wife: this could have been me and my family - if my father hadn’t emigrated to Britain in 1985,” Mr Lamaa, 38, told The National. Courtesy Eddie Lamaa](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TEJZHHVJD6D3JS2TS3XVISYBOE.jpg?smart=true&auth=157cc1c79cf471ba9dbda15735ac05b3d61b3cdf0e8b878ded229f3b39ba0acd&width=400&height=225)
Lebanese-British man bikes 4,200 kilometres to support Beirut
Eddie Lamaa has completed a 40-day road trip from London to Lebanon to raise tens of thousands of pounds for the Lebanese Red Cross after the Beirut blast
![Aya Iskandarani](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F8cc7e7d7-d7a4-4bd6-b14c-b829ecf1bdbd.png?smart=true&auth=1ee89182ae4f6acb0275689f9ec5e3cdd6e5a9cebab33ef145855408f6e3fbb5&width=70&height=70)
Aya Iskandarani
October 06, 2020
- Listen In English
- Listen In Arabic