Rallying cry to all cyclists

Scores of cyclists are set to pull on their Lycra and push down on their pedals in the Do It For Charity London To Brighton Cycle Ride 2017 – and now is your chance to join them.

Thousands of people are expected to sign up for the challenge of a 54-mile journey on two wheels, with each rider raising funds for their chosen cause – including industry charity Rainy Day Trust (RDT).

On Sunday September 17, the cyclists will depart from Clapham Common in London and head south to the East Sussex seaside resort of Brighton.

Along the route they will make their way along country lanes – passing through Mitcham, Carshalton, Chipstead, Banstead and Haywards Heath – before tackling Ditchling Beacon (a mile-long climb to the top of the South Downs) and finishing at Madeira Drive on the Brighton seafront.

Dominic Carolan, co-founder of specialist charity event organiser Skyline, which created Do It For Charity, said: “Every year we see the popularity of our cycle rides grow. But this year in particular London to Brighton has been huge.

“Cycling is at an all-time high in terms of its popularity thanks to the British cycling successes of the past few years, and it really has inspired people to get involved, get more active and – in this case – give something back to charity as well.”

He said it is “perfectly achievable” for the “average” person to take part in the event but “to maximise your enjoyment you DO need to train”.

Help is at hand on the www.doitforcharity.com fitness pages which provide a sample training plan. He added that having the right bike, gloves and helmet is essential.

This year some 4,000 participants tackled Do It For Charity’s London To Brighton Cycle Ride and in total over £1 million was raised for charitable causes.

Next year, RDT would like you to get involved. Chief executive officer Bryan Clover said: “This is a great event, giving people the chance to support us in a way that is great fun – and raises awareness of what we are here to do.”

RDT provides support to people that have worked in the home improvement industry. It operates across three sectors (builders merchants, DIY & Hardware and Housewares & Tabletop) which have a combined turnover of more than £50 billion and employ close to 500,000 people.

It is the only charity which exists solely to help people who have worked in these industries, including DIY shops, hardware stores, builders merchants, garden centres, cookshops, and all the manufacturers, distributors and retailers in the UK who supply them.

RDT grew out of two benevolent funds for the industry with roots back to 1843, and now offers a range of services to manufacture, retail and supplier employees – from a regular cash payment to white goods and even house repairs.

The funds raised will go towards providing housing advice to those having to deal with difficulties in either rented or mortgaged properties.

So, RDT asks: ‘Want to take on the challenge of the year? Be it on a tandem, a race bike or even a chopper, from novices to experienced riders – everyone is welcome.’

Participants can register here:

https://www.doitforcharity.com/book-online.aspx?eid=3179&cid=89151&charity=true

For more details contact Bryan on 07939 541289; bryan@rainydaytrust.org.uk