Wheely Big Ride For Charity
3 June 2010
Group photo of cyclists at the beginning of the 2009 Bike Ride, at the University's Buxton Campus.
The Bike Ride has become a much anticipated annual fixture at the University and there is always a great atmosphere
”James Brown - University Transport and Travel Manager, and chief Bike Ride organiser.
University staff will be going much further than the extra mile for charity tomorrow, Friday June 4, when they take part in its annual Buxton-to-Derby Bike Ride.
The event, now in its sixth year, in 2009 raised more than £5,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust charity. Almost 100 University employees cycled the 45 miles from its campus in Buxton, north Derbyshire, to its Kedleston Road site in Derby.
This year's 2010 challenge will go a lot further in aid of the Breast Cancer Research charity - literally.
There will be the normal 'downhill' route of 45 miles - from Buxton through Parsley Hay, Ashbourne and Etwall to Derby - but new for this year the die-hard cyclists can do a 70 mile Challenge route, which also adds in mileage around Earl Sterndale and Carsington Water.
As usual, the University's Transport and Travel team have arranged full support for cyclists taking part.
Transport will be laid on early tomorrow morning, Friday, from the Kedleston Road site in Derby to take staff and their bikes up to the Buxton Campus.
The route has been organised to try and avoid main roads, and use national cycle routes and back roads for the majority of the journey. It will be marshalled, with refreshment points provided.
Staff taking part will as usual be given a day's special leave by the University, subject to their line manager's agreement.
Each cyclist has paid a £5 registration fee. Those doing the 45-mile route must also raise at least £10 in sponsorship and those on the new 70-mile route, at least £50.
James Brown - University Transport and Travel Manager, and chief Bike Ride organiser - said: "The Bike Ride has become a much anticipated annual fixture at the University and there is always a great atmosphere.
"We always try to come up with something different and our new Challenge route, adding an extra 25 miles to the normal one, is no exception."
For more information about the Bike Ride see the University of Derby website www.derby.ac.uk/bikeride. To sponsor riders go to website www.donatetobreastcancer.org/2010buxtontoderbybikeride.
For further media information please contact Press and PR Officer Sean Kirby on 01332 591891 or 07876 476103, or email s.kirby@derby.co.uk.
