Saddle up for a summer cycle challenge

Ride High, a local children’s charity that transforms the lives of vulnerable children, is inviting you to get riding this summer…. but surprisingly not on a horse – ‘on yer bike’!

It is organising the first Ride High Cycle Challenge, and after the stress and restraints of the last year this is a great opportunity to experience adventure and achievement in the great outdoors in 2021. 

You can choose a 50 or 100 mile carefully planned road route through picturesque villages and stunning countryside in Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire. Starting and finishing at the charity’s home in central Milton Keynes, there will be fuel stations and roaming support along both routes. Awaiting you at the finish line will be a well-earned celebratory barbeque and the Ride High children will present finishers with hand-crafted medals. 

This will be a fun and friendly event – accessible to everyone (aged 18+) who would like to achieve something amazing whilst raising funds to help Ride High’s work with local children.  And the charity staff will be with you every pedal of the way. With support from friendly and experienced cyclists, they’ll providing training tips and advice on the lead-up to the event – and on day you’ll ride in small groups led by the cyclists who will ensure you have a wonderful experience – or if you’d prefer you can form your own team with colleagues or friends.

During the pandemic several challenges and events were cancelled, resulting in charities losing a considerable amount of income, whilst the need for their services increased. After Ride London 100 was cancelled, four Ride High supporters decided to team-up and cycle their own route and they had the best day. One of the team said: 

“Training for the cycle ride gave me a real focus over lockdown. I’m not an experienced cyclist so riding the challenge in a group was great. I never would have achieved it and had such fun without my teammates.”

Ride High’s Cycle Challenge this summer has been built on their experience and will follow the same route.  Participants won’t be racing against the clock, so they’ll be plenty of time to have a great day out whilst achieving their challenge.

Ride High supports children whose challenging circumstances and traumas make everyday life a struggle. They use horses as a vehicle to help transform their lives. Horses enable them to connect with the children in a way other more traditional interventions such as counselling often don’t. Many of them won’t speak – but they’ll put their arms around a horse and whisper in its ear – and that’s where the transformation starts. Over a period of 3-12 months they attend Ride High every week and the charity uses this connection with horses to engage them in a programme that supports their mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Sign-up today

Now in its 12^th year, Ride High has helped to transform the lives of over 1,500 children and young people. The charity always has a waiting list of children in need and the pandemic has increased the demand for their services. You can help make a difference by taking part in Ride High’s Cycle Challenge!

Please visit www.ridehigh.org/cycleride. Registration: £20/£30 (500/100 miles). Participants are asked to raise £350 each in sponsorship.

The event is kindly being sponsored by Cawleys, Sysmex, Scotts of Thrapston, Truck East, Marshall, RSM and All Things Business.