Cancer Charity Ride - An idea to raise cash!!

[Willandkate]

OK, here we go, please don’t shoot me down in flames, it’s just an idea……. It’s an idea that a few of us came up with while I lived in Australia, and it worked well. So well that they’re into their 5th year of it. To date they’ve raised $50,000!! That’s about £37,000 raised for Cancer Research. Now that can’t be a bad thing can it?

Basically it’s a relay ride, in this case, around the UK. A rider or group of riders carry a baton (we used a big yellow spanner for some reason) for a section of the route and then hand the baton over to another rider (or group) who keep the baton moving. At the handovers we tried to get cancer survivors to be there and invited any local press to come down and get some cheesy photos and an article.

It takes a bit of organisation to work out the routes and the handover points, but if we could get it organised out in Australia with the huge distances and very few people, surely we could manage it here, where you can barely ride without bumping into someone! The route can be on motorways, B roads or green lanes. Why not tie it in with a regular group ride?

The first year we did it I made the spanner from a bit of wood and painted it (big budget stuff!), the next year a local fabricator stepped in and laser cut the spanner baton from 6mm ali and powder coated it.

So, who’d be up for a bit of a ride? The relay doesn’t have to be continuous and seamless, if the baton sits in someone’s house for a few days before the next rider can collect it, so be it. It would probably be best to do it whilst the weather is nice and go via iconic landmark sights. Maybe someone wants to ride the whole route and others can join wherever possible?

Riders can get sponsored by their friends and family, schools can get involved, MAG, local biker clubs etc etc. There are no rules to it. All it is an opportunity to raise some cash to donate the chosen Cancer Charity.

So, what d’you reckon? Who wants to help cure cancer?

Here is a link to the inaugural Australian ride for what it’s worth, not really relevant but worth a look

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthre ... ost9791566


Cheers

[reedro72]

I would be up for doing my bit .

Nick

[Redmurty]

Think you have hit all the base's mate already, Try the BBC and some of the independant channels get your local MP involved they love free publicity. Free page in the ABR mag? :whistle: right to other mags, speak to the likes of "Sam the Man" see if he can give you some advices. One note of caution (there's always one) charities are struggling, but don't let that stop you. cheers Spud

[anthony29040]

I am in I live in manchester,I am sure some of the guys from my bike club would be up for it. Cheers tony

[Bonniebird]

Yep, I'm up for it and I'm sure I could gather a few more riders as well B)

[LargeWayRound]

Hi Ya

Will / Kate

Maybe you could look at creating a Just Giving *team* page , with the chosen charity .
Get anyone who wants to help too enroll to your *team* ..

This would give a central point for donations to go to and everyone can see if the target is being met.

p.s. I would help carry the spanner in Scotland (if needed).


So the upshot is Will / Kate , if you want to start planning and sort out all the organizing then go for it . If you were going the name ABR in any way , you need to send Alun a PM first ..

Cheers LWR

[I of the strom]

Yes. Sounds a great idea, wouldn't demand much from an individual but would have national scale profile - Give cancer the elbow with the Big Spanner !

Get celeb bikers involved and you'd be on a winner.

I'd ride for that and I'm sure there are others in Scotland that would do also.

[Freeloadeur]

Well I live in London, but that doesn't matter I'll do a lap of the capital with the spanner.

[Willandkate]

Cool, thanks for all the replies.

So we have London covered by myself and Freeloadeur

Bonniebird, whereabouts are you? Essex. Cool, cross that off the list then.

Reedro72, I see you’re in Cambridgeshire, so that’s that area covered.

Redmurty, thanks for your comments, the ‘Just Giving’ page is a great idea. I guess are you up for a bit of a ride? So that’s West Midlands sorted

The Manchester area is covered by antony29040 and his mates, thank you

Scotland is a bit big for just Large Way Round and I of the Strom. Or is it?????? Maybe tie it in with the Ullapool Rally?

OK, it’s hardly a neat circuit of UK, but who in their right minds would want to pick holes in an event for such a worthy cause eh?

So, what does that leave? Kent, Surrey, Hampshire etc, surely us London boys cover that if we had to but I’m sure we can do better than that?

Devon, Cornwall etc looking a bit thin on the ground…..

Wales, come on, we’re all looking for an excuse to ride around lovely Wales, maybe get a rider in the Taffy Dakar to carry a baton?

Ireland, north and south?

Take it to the TT, get some good press coverage there…..

My UK geography isn’t great (spent too long in Oz) but how many gaps are there left to fill in? This thing is almost off the ground and flying!!

I of the Strom, I loved your comment about giving ‘cancer the elbow’. I thought about it a bit more and have decided it’s better to ‘Give cancer the boot’. So, if this event ever gets off the ground, that’s what the baton will be – A boot, to pass on from rider to rider. Love it!!

Alun, are you and the ABR team happy to let us use your forum to assist in organising this? The event wouldn’t need to be connected to ABR in any way (unless you want to of course?) but it makes sense for us all to ‘talk’ here as we do anyway!

Cheers and thanks to all, let’s keep this moving. :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

[Sloth]

Hi ...great idea ...i,m up for this ... live in yorkshire but more than happy to fill in anywere