Cycling for celebration (From Keighley News)
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Cycling for celebration
6:00pm Saturday 18th August 2012 in News
Cyclist Graham Reay, centre, with BeCycling For Africa founder Chris Armstrong, left, and David Griffiths, vicar of St James’ Church in Silsden
A Silsden man cycled 300 kilometres from coast to coast to celebrate the 300th anniversary of his local church.
Graham Reay, of Telford Close, took two days to pedal from Morecambe to Bridlington to mark the St James’ Church tricentenary.
The 62-year-old health and safety consultant said he started the ride in glorious sunshine and apart from some short downpours enjoyed excellent weather during the challenge.
He completed large parts of the ride accompanied by fellow cyclist Nigel Rutherford, his brother-in-law.
Mr Reay said: “Considering that we’ve had such an awful summer we had brilliant weather for most of the cycle. We had some great views, it showed what a fantastic part of the country we live in.”
Along the way he raised hundreds of pounds in sponsorship for the charity BeCycling For Africa.
The group has sent nearly 200 bicycles to Uganda this year. It has also been involved in helping health workers at a rural hospice to reach their patients by bicycle.
Chris Armstrong, the founder of the charity, said he was very grateful to receive a cheque for £450 from Mr Reay, adding that this would make a huge difference to the people his organisation works with in east Africa.
He said, “This money will go a long way towards sustaining the projects we have already set up in Uganda.
“A bicycle can often mean the difference between a child receiving an education and them not being able to get to school because of the distances involved in rural areas of Uganda.”
People wanting to know more about BeCycling For Africa can contact Mr Armstrong on 07960 734965.
