HIPS are running a group cycle fundraiser to raise £10,000 to fund 2 of our current projects:

1) MidKent College Allotment Project – Creating an outdoor allotment space for students with learning difficulties to find peace in nature, whilst learning horticulture skills.

2) Bradfields School Sensory Play Area Project – Funding the complete renovation and redesign of the outdoor play area at Bradfields Specialist SEND School.

On the 2nd September 2022, seven intrepid cyclists are taking on the challenge of cycling between two cathedrals. After some consideration it was decided these should be Rochester Cathedral in England and Notre-Dame in Paris.

The 400+ kilometre ride will take the riders from Rochester, through Le Touquet and Beauvais before arriving in Paris. Split across three days the ride will test the cycling ability and endurance of each rider. When asked to comment, one of the riders, Chris, said:

“I have had a large bike ride on my bucket list for years. I had always planned to do the London to Brighton, but when I found out that HIPS were doing a charity ride, I decided that this was the ride for me. Ok, I’m adding 200 odd miles to the ride, but if I can tick something off my bucket list and help HIPS raise money for one of their amazing projects, of course I was going to say yes.”

The ride will set off from Rochester Cathedral at 6am on the 2nd September, with the Dean of Rochester, Philip Hesketh officially waving off the cycling adventurers. The Dean has tasked the cyclists with delivering an important gift for the Dean of Notre Dame – a bottle of Rochester Cathedral’s own gin ‘604’ produced by local distillery Copper Rivet.

The riders will make their way to Faversham for their first refreshment break before continuing on to Dover where they will be able to rest during the channel crossing. We did consider static exercise bikes for the channel tunnel crossing to keep them cycling, but decided this might be a bit mean after the ride from Rochester. Once on French soil the riders will be off again to where they will finish the day at Le Touquet/Etaples Rugby Club.

Day two will be the toughest for the riders. They will leave La Touquet and head to Beauvais Rugby Club some 161km away, stopping at Abbeville for lunch. They will spend the night in Beauvais before starting the third and final stretch.

Day three sees them ride from Beauvais to Paris, although the shortest section at just 75km, it has the greatest elevation changes which presents its own challenges! The riders will have to give everything they have left to push into Paris and will end the ride by presenting the Dean of Notre Dame with the bottle of Rochester Cathedral’s 604 gin (you thought they’d have drunk it on route didn’t you?).

I’m sure you will join us in wishing our riders all the best for their travels. Nothing shows your support more than donating to the fundraiser. Let’s put our pounds to their pedals and get them all the way to Paris.

Good luck lads.