OVER 60 wheelie big-hearted cyclists rolled out on the Derbyshire Times and Polaris Flagg Challenge to raise around £7,500 in pledges for Chesterfield’s Ashgate Hospice.
Young and old took on the 50 mile route which included climbs up to Sheldon village and Stanton-in-the-Peak as Emmerdale TV soap star Rik Makarem rallied supporters and cheered the intrepid cyclists on their way.
Ashgate Hospice fundraising chief Emily Evans said: “It was fab. Big thanks go to everyone who took part, supported riders and volunteered to marshal. For some it was a poignant day because they were riding in memory of lost loved ones and their efforts were in everyone’s thoughts.”
Cyclist Ed Cooper completed the Peak District route in under three hours as the field followed including DT editor James Mitchinson and Polaris Bikewear’s Barry Parker with courageous efforts by Bryan Shaw, Byron Shaw, Steve Olive and Kerry Cramp.
The youngest cyclist on the DT and Polaris Challenge Oliver Snodden, 11, raised about £1,500 in pledges and completed his ride in a very respectable time.
The youngster from Hasland was cheered on by his grandparents Richard and Jan Williams-Menlove, of Baslow, as he set off.
Oliver, who was the Midlands Mountain Bike champion at the under 8s level and under 10s level, was joined by his dad Graham and they took part as Sherwood Pines Cycling Club members.
Both are keen supporters of the hospice where Oliver’s mum Lydia is a Macmillan nurse funded by the hospice.
Riders received a goody bag from Dronfield-based Polaris bikewear, free DTs, and a prize draw entry for Sky’s the Limit cycling books. They have also begun selling hospice raffle tickets after Graham Snodden of Sram donated a Scott Speedster bike as a prize. Tickets are available from the hospice and donations can be made to www.justgiving.com/Jonathan-Cooper5.
Riders who took part and proudly joined the DT and Polaris Challenge’s Roll of Honour, in alphabetical order, included the following: Russel Adams, Jason Austin, Neville Boler, Mark Booth, Shay Boyle, Angela Briggs, Sarah Broadhurst, Stephen Burden, Jon Cooper, Ed Cooper, Kerry Cramp, John Davies, Philip Delaney, Mervyn Dudley, Elliot Dudley, Steven Fearn, Jamie Flaxman, Dominic Gage, Nick Green, Pater Hall, Mike Hall, Richard Heathcote, Simon Hookway, Scott Hookway, Will House, Robert Hutton, Martin Jackson, Mark Jackson, Michael James, Nicola James, Matt Kieran, John Kinirons, Brendan Lloyd Hughes, Richard Mather, Lee Meredith, Louise Milroy, Chris Morrison, Laurence O’Toole, Stephen Olive, Stuart Parson, Francis Peters, Matt Rigby, Alan Roberts, Michael Rodgers, Jon Sainty, Kieron Salt, Bryan Shaw, Byron Shaw, Alan Sheldon, Michael Sheldon, Chris Sheldon, Thomas Skeet, Gary Smith, Graham Snodden, Oliver Snodden, Jonathan Statham, Sean Stowe, Stephen Taylor, P. Thornton, Geoffrey Vine, Paul Welch, John Welsh, Terry Widdowson, David Williams, Peter Yewman.
Others on the roll of honour included Robert Carr, Barry Parker, Steve Hancock, Nick Morgan-Hughes, Andy Dunn, Kev Saville, Hannah Saville and David Beresford.
Comments