Bike Ride News

- Tue 25th Mar 2003

Dr Tim Elliott, Professor of Experimental Oncology, within the Cancer Sciences Division of the School of Medicine at the University of Southampton, presented cheques to a large number of charities at Seacourt Tennis Club on Saturday 22nd March. However, the largest cheque of the evening was presented to Professor Elliott himself, by Fred Dyer, reflecting Fred’s record-breaking £8,000 fundraising effort, in memory of his late wife, Judy. This formed a very high proportion of the almost £15,000 raised for Cancer Research UK by 31 riders, as a result of last year’s ride, taking the total raised for this particular charity to more than £50,000 over the years of the ride.Charity donations from Ride 2002


Although this was the highlight of the evening, many other deserving causes were able to attend and received these donations on the night: Alzheimer's Society - £500; Appeal 4 Emma - £750; BLISS (Baby Life Support System) - £600; Breakthrough Breast Cancer - £2,000; British Heart Foundation - £500; Cancer Research UK - £8,750; Ciandez Latin American Mission - £1,144; Derek Biggs - £100; Diabetes UK - £750; Elizabeth Foundation - £750; FLASH - £250; Friends of Hayling Trees - £100; Friends of St Mary's Church - £300; Havant and District MS Society - £1,200; Havant Council of Community Service - £100; Havant Holiday Venture - £300; Hayling Community Pre-School - £200; Hayling Island Community Centre - £100; Hayling Island First Responders - £150; Hayling Red Cross - £100; Hayling Scouts - £100; Hayling UFC - £300; Hope Lodge School - £150; Leprosy Mission - £200; Mengham Infants School - £250; Mengham Junior School - £250; Orchard Close - £100; RNLI - £300; Save the Children - £500; Sembal House - £100; St Francis Akwatia (Ghana) - £200; Sussex Brewery Leukaemia Fund - £1,400; The Hayling School - £250; The Rowans (Portsmouth Hospice) - £1,500.




Many other charities have benefited from sponsorship from Ride 2002, whether directly from riders or via A.C.E., the bike ride’s fundraising organization. Some of the above beneficiaries have also received direct donations, notably Cancer Research UK, where a further £6,000 has been added to the amount received. Other beneficiaries include: Abbeyfield Havant Home - £350; Age Concern - £500; Arthritis & Rheumatism Council (Leighton Buzzard) - £450; Arthritis Research Council UK - £200; Ataxia UK - £1,133; Brent Lodge - £120; Childline - £2,078; CLIC - £1,000; Dogs for the Disabled - £250; Door of Hope - £200; Dreams Come True - £400; EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) - £350; Everyman Cancer (Male prostate) - £750; Fairbridge Solent - £765; Families in Crisis (and Godbey House) - £300; Friends of Radiotherapy (FORT) - £250; Friends of Russian Children - £200; Ghana-Ayesiu Water Pump - £300; Gosport Opportunity Group - £856; Great Ormond Street Hospital - £650; Havant & District Mencap - £150; Hayling Guides - £100; Hayling Health Centre - £100; Head & Neck Cancer (Royal Marsden) - £4,823; Headway, Southampton - £250; International Myeloma Foundation - £150; Kalimpong Association (UK) - £500; Lance Armstrong Foundation - £600; Le Court Cheshire Home - £600; Let Us Play Scheme (LUPS) - £150; Leukaemia Research - £475; Macmillan Cancer Research - £550; Magpie Scanner Appeal - £135; Mencap Seafarers Walk - £100; Mill Rythe Infant School - £250; Mill Rythe Junior School - £250; MNDA (S.E. Hants) - £400; Naomi House - £2,500; National Fire Service Benevolent Fund - £200; New Masonic Samaritan Fund - £330; PDSA - £100; Portsmouth Hospitals Rocky Appeal - £100; Prince's Trust - £450; Psoriasis Association - £620; Regnum Crossroads (West Sussex) - £450; Rose Road Children's Appeal - £150; S.I.D. - £100; St Richards Hospital MRI Fund - £450; Swindon Down Syndrome Association - £700; Teenage Cancer Trust - £400; The Futcher School - £100; Theatre Royal,Winchester - £150; Uphill Castle Cricket Club - £500; Vision Aid Overseas - £1,250; Wateraid - £350. Where a charity has not already been sent their donation directly by riders, those beneficiaries who couldn’t come along to the charity evening will have their cheques sent on.




This list of nominated charities and deserving causes reflects not only the fundraising efforts of our riders, but also the diversity of their interests, which contributes to the unique nature of this event, now nationally recognized. The amount raised from 2002 now exceeds £70,000, a new record, bringing the total so far to over £525,000! A footnote is that it would be unfair to leave behind last year’s fundraising efforts, without mentioning rider and former cancer sufferer, Barrie Dawson, who raised £4,823 for the Royal Marsden head and neck cancer unit. In a normal year his would be the new record amount, but this year he was overshadowed by Fred Dyer’s efforts.




Now that last year’s efforts have been rewarded, we look forward to this year’s ride and wonder whether we can go on to even greater things.




Practice Rides


This year’s practise rides started on March 30th, with a series of weekly rides appealing to new riders, under the benign supervision of committee secretary and ‘Recce Crew’ member, Codge Stirzaker. It is planned to have a ‘social ride’ once a month leading up to the main event, when a country pub lunch will be incorporated, so that new riders can get to know the veterans. Anyone can join in, with rides generally starting at 9 o’clock on Sunday mornings, from the Ship at Langstone and social rides starting at 10.30 am. Another event, sometimes thought of as a ‘super practice ride’ is the Channel to Channel ride, organised by Peter McQuade, This takes place on the weekend of Friday evening 16th to Sunday 18th May and involves cycling from Weston-super-Mare back to Hayling, via Salisbury. Please call Peter on 9246-3049. All details are on the website below.




P&O Ferries


We are hugely relieved to be able to announce that P&O Dover has agreed to continue the special fares arrangement provided by the former P&O Portsmouth. This means a great deal to us and we are very grateful.




Bike Ride 2003


We have plenty of places for this year, with the basic 3-Day ride and the alternative week’s cycling event being equally well received. Newcomers are especially welcome and a practice ride schedule, designed for new and inexperienced riders, is now available. We should love to see a lot more Islanders taking part in Hayling’s premier charity event – make this your year!




Entry fees and further details


Entry fees are £195 for the basic 3-Day Paris to Hayling Charity Cycle Ride and £315 for the 5-Day Cycling Week, including dinner together at Le Mercure on the last night in Le Havre. The dates are overnight on Tuesday 8th July to Saturday 12th July, with the 5-Dayers going out on the afternoon of Sunday 6th July. A deposit of £95 is required to secure entry.


Phone enquiries to 023 9246 1412 or by post to Paris to Hayling, PO Box 30, Hayling Island, Hants, PO11 9UD. Mobile – 07770-888501.


Website - http://www.hayling-cycle-ride.org.uk


e-mail address – paul.fisher69@ntlworld.com




PAUL FISHER 24/03/2003




Photo – : Professor Tim Elliott (centre) accepts an £8,750 cheque from Fred Dyer (left) at the Bike Ride Charities Evening, chaired by Paul Fisher (right).

By forum user, Mat