The brochure promised “mud, mess and mates”, and that is exactly what the 2007 Junior Bike Ride delivered to nearly 300 intrepid challengers on Sunday 24 June, as they cycled 10 miles off-road through Bracknell Nature Reserve in Windsor Forest to raise money for Norwood. Days of rain leading up to the event ensured that the participants, aged 7-14, as well as their family and friends, had plenty of puddles in which to splash about. Around £20,000 was raised for Norwood, a leading UK Jewish charity supporting children and families with learning disabilities or coping with social difficulties. The Bike Ride was sponsored by the Jewish News/TotallyJewish.com and Tribe.
The event began with some words of encouragement from Councillor Gill Birch, the Mayor of Bracknell Forest and Councillor Annette Drake, the Mayor of Wokingham Borough Council. Once the opening ceremony had been completed, it was time to get down to the task at hand – successfully completing the challenging course whilst getting as muddy as possible. Both parents and children entered into the spirit of the occasion, making a point of ploughing through puddles and skidding through patches of mud. Once all of these were successfully negotiated, cheers, medals and certificates awaited them at the finish line.
Speaking at the event, Councillor Birch said:” It is wonderful to see such commitment in the young. Many of them have trained hard and are taking the challenge seriously. Congratulations to them for raising so much money for Norwood.”
Ian Tate, Norwood’s Head of Challenges, said: “It’s been another fantastic Junior Bike Ride. The kids were having a great time in the rainy conditions, and so were their parents! I’d like to thank our participants and marshals for ensuring another successful Challenges event. The money raised will go towards supporting children and families in the community.
For further information please contact David Wosner, Public Relations Officer at Norwood on 020 8420 6942 or email david.wosner@norwood.org.uk
For more details on Norwood Challenges, visit www.norwood.org.uk/challenges or contact the Challenges team on 020 8420 6834 or challenges@norwood.org.uk
