Queen Eleanor Cycle Ride
200 miles – August Bank Holiday weekend 26-29 August
Only weeks into the New Year and already many may be struggling with New Year’s resolutions. Some of you will be looking to get ft, be more active and support one of the many good causes out there. Good news! The annual Queen Eleanor Cycle Ride has just opened for bookings this year.
The 2022 Queen Eleanor Cycle Ride takes place over August Bank Holiday weekend, 26-29 August, raising funds to support the work of The Connection. In 2021, the Ride raised a record £30,000 in spite of the challenges presented by COVID. Money raised helps the long-term homeless into safe accommodation and a more settled and secure life. The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields is based in central London, a few yards from the site of one of the original Queen Eleanor crosses in Trafalgar Square.
As fog and icy mornings have hit a lot of the UK, the temperatures have plummeted. The Connection’s outreach team is currently out on the streets every day, inviting people into the day centre and referring them to emergency accommodation. The capacity of their day centre has been increased to make sure even more people can get in the warm, shower, do their laundry and receive a hot meal – all in a COVID-secure manner. Spare beds at The Bridge, their hotel accommodation project, are also available for those currently rough sleeping.
There’s a choice of options on the cycle ride designed to reflect cycling ability.
THE TRADITIONAL GROUP RIDE 200 miles cycling from Harby near Lincoln, where Queen Eleanor died in 1290, and following the route of the 12 Queen Eleanor Crosses, including Geddington, Northampton and Waltham Cross, to Charing Cross in London. The ride starts on Friday morning, with overnight stops in Grantham, Geddington and Dunstable, and ends at Westminster Abbey on Monday. Day cyclists are also welcome.
All meals and lots of cake are provided with accommodation in church and village halls, plus full transport back up. 40 places are available, although places are already going fast. All cyclists aged 18 or over are welcome, plus younger cyclists if accompanied by a responsible adult. You will cycle in small groups chosen according to speed, led by a cyclist who is familiar with the route.
CYCLE 200 MILES CLOSE TO HOME Even if you can’t join the Group Ride, you can still take part, setting your own goal. This could be 200 miles in a day, 200 miles in the summer holidays or one amazing cyclist, Ken Mason, is doing 3,650 miles on a static bike in his bedroom over 12 months.
FUNDRAISING We do not set a minimum sponsorship target, but over £30,000 was raised last year with an average of £1,000 per cyclist.
REGISTRATION FEE The entry fee for the full ride is £80 before 30 June, and £95 thereafter. To register, go to: www.friendsoftheconnection.org.uk/events or contact Keith Busfield at queeneleanorcycle@gmail.com; on 07568 707089. For more information, visit www.queeneleanorcycleride.org or find us on Facebook.
Keith Busfield from Stamford: “I have a bed for the night. I have a roof over my head. A lock on the door. A hot shower after a hard afternoon’s cycling. Then there’s dinner on the table I feel so lucky!! That’s why I’m raising money to assist the homeless in London.”
For further information on this press release, please contact Keith Busfield, Queen Eleanor Cycle Ride, on 07568 707089 or email kbusfield@hotmail.co.uk
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