Gloucester Rugby is one of several clubs to offer its ground as start point and promote the Challenge to its fan base. London Irish, Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Worcester RFU clubs will also be playing a key role. Some of the Gloucester players are also keen to be involved and, depending on their rugby commitments, hope to be on hand to give their fans a big send off.
The Summer Solstice Bike Ride is a great opportunity for the club and our supporters to come together and help less fortunate children and young people, and if I'm available on the day, I will definitely be there!" says Sinbad.
We want to set the record for the highest number of fans taking part and to raise as much money as we possibly can, so I hope the fact that the club and players are really behind this initiative will motivate our fans to get on their bikes for a fantastic charity."
All Challengers pledge to raise at least £300 in support of Wooden Spoon's work and can choose their own start point. Those setting out from the Kingsholm Stadium will cycle
45 miles in the day.
The Gloucester Rugby Community team have already signed up, Gary Little and Paul Rudland will be taking on the challenge. Gary, Community Manager, 'we would like to invite as many supporters of Gloucester to join us, but if they cannot make it on the day we are asking for them to pledge their support by sponsoring us. Would would like to raise as much money as possible for this great cause'.
The community team are supported by Falcon Cycles, suppliers of some of the most famous bicycle brands in the UK including Claud Butler, Falcon, Scorpion, and Optima. Falcon, based in Brigg North Lincolnshire source bikes from the best suppliers around the world and have developed a fantastic range of bikes for every cyclist. Falcon have donated a couple of Claud Butler Cape Wrath D27 Hybrid Cycles for the community team to take on the Summer Solstice Bike Ride. Dave Heath-Drury, product manager, 'We are pleased to be involved with and support the Gloucester Rugby Community Team and wish them and the clubs supporters well in their fundraising'.
Although the terrain will vary depending on the start point, most routes will incorporate minor roads, tow paths, tracks and National Cycle Network routes promoted by Sustrans, so mountain bikes or road bikes with cyclo cross tyres will be the order of the day. Each cyclist will be required to carry front and rear lights plus cycle repair kits and must wear a helmet.
Staggered starts will avoid congestion as participants get underway and there will be marshals and support riders at pit stops en route to urge the riders on to the finish. Wooden Spoon is designing the routes and schedule to ensure that all cyclists arrive at Barbury Castle, the site of an Iron Age hill fort on the northern edge of the Marlborough Downs, by 10.00pm when darkness falls.
A celebration barbecue, bar and entertainment will be held in a tented village at the finish site, with a special solstice breakfast served at sunrise. Challengers can choose to camp overnight or take stay nearby and return transportation to the start points will be available on the Sunday morning.
Gloucester Rugby is a big supporter of Wooden Spoon, which does a lot to promote the game of rugby alongside its excellent work with underprivileged kids. Wooden Spoon are sponsors of the Gloucester Rugby ONSIDE initiative a project developed in association with Prospect Training, which aims to help 16-18 year olds in the deprived areas of our county who are not in education, training or employment gain a formal qualification and do something positive with their lives - so we're delighted to play our part and help get the Summer Solstice Bike Ride off to a flying start," adds Gary Little, Community Manager.
This exciting event certainly puts the fun into fundraising and if our fans demonstrate as much support for it as they do for us on match days, we are sure to raise a lot of money towards key community projects around the country, like the Playing for Success initiative here in Gloucestershire."
Wooden Spoon is rugby's charity so we're delighted that the Summer Solstice Bike Ride has received such an enthusiastic thumbs-up from both Union and League clubs and hope the endorsement of players like Sinbad will encourage the fans to come out and support us in huge numbers," says organiser Katharine Brindley.
The Summer Solstice Bike Ride is open to cyclists aged 16 and over and further details are available at www.spoonchallenges.com
Alternatively, contact the Wooden Spoon Challenge Office on 01889 582889 or email spoonchallenges@eventsunlimited.co.uk for an information pack and entry forms.
If you would like to sponsor the Community team please visit www.justgiving.com/gloucesterrugby
