18 Apr J’s Hospice set to raise £250,000 through Chelmsford charity bike ride
Pedal for The J’s, Chelmsford’s annual cycle ride, is returning to the city for the 10th year on Sunday 5th May.
Since it first began, this popular event has raised a total of £230,000 for The J’s Hospice which supports young adults with life-limiting conditions and their families across Essex, in the comfort of their own homes and in the community. The charity helps them to live their lives to the full, however short, and this money has paid for a range of services including tailored nursing and emotional care, advice and social activities.
This year, organisers at The J’s are hoping to see 1,000 bicycles at the start line to celebrate the event’s 10th year and bring the total raised over the decade to an impressive £250,000.
Lucy Burgess, Events Fundraiser for The J’s Hospice, explained, “Thank you to the hundreds of cyclists from Essex and beyond who take part in Pedal for The J’s every year. We had no idea when we organised the first cycle ride, that it would become such a popular event, raising so much money for The J’s Hospice and making such a difference to so many young lives.
“We must raise over £19,000 each week to be there for every young adult who needs us, so we are very grateful to all of the generous people who sponsor our cyclists and help them raise even more. If we could reach £250,000, it would be such an amazing achievement, so please join us on the 5th May to make the tenth Pedal for The J’s the biggest yet.“
Cyclists have a choice of three circular routes of 15, 35 and 50 miles through the beautiful local countryside, all starting and finishing at Admirals Park, Chelmsford – so Pedal for The J’s is popular with people looking for a relaxing, scenic ride as well as experienced teams from cycling clubs.
There will also be cycling fun for all the family from 10am to 2pm with The Bike Club balance bike course, Eddie Spokes and vintage bicycles, glitter and tattoos with Luxurious Glitter, the Virgin Active Static bike challenge, a bar, food and music. Little Wheelers Ltd professional cycling coach will be there too, offering cycling tips and advice from 10am to 12 noon.
Pedal for The J’s is sponsored by Beaulieu – the new district in Chelmsford by Countryside and L&Q – which has kindly agreed to be the headline sponsor for the fifth time.
Andrew Carrington, Managing Director of Strategic Land at Countryside said: “For the fifth year in a row, it’s an absolute pleasure to sponsor this event in support of the vital work that The J’s Hospice does across Essex. Countless young adults with life-limiting conditions have benefited from the charity’s relentless work over the years and will, without a doubt, continue to do so.”
He then added: “Pedal for the J’s has proved itself to be a key fundraising event that year-on-year brings the community together to support those who most need it. I would like to personally thank all the cyclists and donors for their generous contributions. Finally, a big thank you as well to the local community who have turned up each year to watch the event and cheer their loved ones on.”
To find out more or book your place for Pedal for The J’s 2019 please visit www.havenshospices.org.uk/pedal where you can also watch highlights from Pedal 2018.
