Local restaurant owner Tina Cerutti, who is a trustee with charity Age UK, has seen an idea for a cycling fundraiser become a reality.
Tina, with the help of John Perkins, a Chief Officer of the charity, has put together a route that will see thirteen cyclists cross the North Sea to Belgium and cycle from Zeebrugge to Ypres on the 18th May, and back again.
Team Age UK East Riding have been training since Christmas as they prepare for the challenge that will see them cycle a distance of 135 miles.
Tina said: “Most of us have never done anything like this before. We are training hard at the weekends, putting the miles ahead of the challenge.”
With an age range of 29 through to 67 John joked: “Some of us should know better than to tackle this!”
He continued:
“We have decided to incorporate a visit to Ypres on route as it is 100 years since the start of World War I as we feel it will be appropriate to lay a wreath at the Menin Gate to commemorate the soldiers of the East Yorkshire Regiment that fought all those years ago.”
“There is no doubt that the events and outcome of that war have had a significant impact on the generation of people Age UK East Riding helps through its charitable services today.”
Tina has been adding the miles that the cyclists will cover collectively during their training and the challenge. She has worked out the riders would have covered enough miles to cycle all the way from Beverley to Wellington in New Zealand.
The intrepid group that is made up of Tina, John, Martin Hall, Zina Jamilova, Julie Llewellyn, Christopher Mace, Ros Maxsted, Michael Mettyear, Christopher Oughtred, David Rosenberg, Janie Rymer and John Senior are hoping to raise £30,000.
So far, Team Age UK East Riding have secured pledges totalling £14,000, something the team is grateful for, but there is still some work to be done to hit the target before they set off.
Anyone wishing to support their event can do so by visiting the office in Beverley, located at North Bar Within, or online by logging onto www.ageuk.org.uk/eastriding.
