SPONSORED CYCLE RIDE
Ladies and Gentlemen
In response to popular demand we intend to run the "St Cross South Downs Way Sponsored Cycle Ride" again on the weekend of 22/23 May 2010. Last year we raised £900 for the Lighting Fund. This year we intend to support the LEAGUE OF FRIENDS OF THE WINCHESTER HOSPITALS Charity Number 275931 - which raises funds for our hospital. Trish Spiers is the Chairman of the League of Friends and would be grateful for our support this year. We hope that you will all be as generous with your gifts as you have been in the past. The cyclists will meet their own admin costs so you can be sure that all your sponsorship will be going to the League of Friends.
The ride will be from Winchester to Alfriston, not quite all the way to Eastbourne but it is a more realistic target at 90 miles for a two day cross country ride and makes allowances for the unforeseen. The ride is mainly on tracks with loose and, occasionally, slippery surfaces and with many steep climbs so it does require a good level of fitness and competence. Any good strong bike will do the job providing it is in good condition, has low gearing and cross country tyres. Advice and help on bikes is available from John Fairbrother and John Spiers.
As to the cyclists - we have a number of volunteers already, others are welcome to join us but we think that the maximum should be 12 cyclists and then only if we have a second support vehicle. The ride plan is that on Saturday 22 May we leave St Cross at 7.00am or soon after, cycle to Queen Elizabeth Park where we eat our packed lunches, thence to camp overnight at Washington and have dinner in the pub. On Sunday we again start early, eat packed lunches en-route and aim to complete the ride at Alfriston at about 6.00pm. We will return to St Cross using the support vehicle(s) and a car and van, which Cathy's family are again providing and which will meet us at Alfriston. John and Sue Fairbrother have again agreed to run the back-up transport which will carry tents, sleeping bags, some spare parts and our overnight luggage. They will also meet us regularly with drinks, snacks, encouraging words and sweep up broken riders or bikes.
All Riders are to provide their own packed lunches and for the campers, a breakfast as well but John and Sue will carry it all in the car. There will be costs for all riders for admin, dinner and overnight charges, details of these are to follow. We can only run a 'Return to Winchester" system from Alfriston on completion of the ride so if
anybody has to drop out en route then the support crew(s) will do all they can to help but ultimately responsibility to get home rests with the rider.
Despite the warning above our aim is to have an enjoyable and challenging weekend and to raise sponsorship money for the League of Friends so we hope that all those riding will trawl widely for funds and that Parishioners will support the project enthusiastically! Will all those who want to ride or sponsor please contact either Cathy or me on the telephone numbers below.
John Spiers 01962 851699
Cathy Secker 01962 851375 stcross1132@btinternet.com
Or Call into The Porters Lodge St Cross Hospital St Cross Road Winchester