Members gear up for 300-mile charity cycle to Lancashire

Members of The Furniture Makers’ Company are gearing up for a 300-mile charity bike ride from Hertfordshire to Lancashire this autumn in a bid to raise £50,000 for the charity.

Seven people have signed up for the charity bike ride so far, which is being organised by Tony Attard OBE DL, Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company, and will take place from 12-16 September 2022.

The team will be setting off from St Albans at 9.30am on Monday 12 September and will be cycling an average of 60 miles a day to reach Morecambe by Friday 16 September. The cyclists currently signed up are Tony Attard OBE DL, Rollie Attard, Ben Burbidge, Hayden Davies, Bal Hruboczki, John Irwin and Paul von der Heyde.

The first day will see the group cycle 64 miles to Whittlebury, a stone’s throw away from Silverstone, the home of British motor racing, before setting off on a 68-mile journey to Kegworth on day two. On day three, the peloton will make their way further up the midlands, ending the 65-mile day at Glossop, the north western gateway to the Peak District. With three days under their belts, the cyclists will be heading 58 miles north from Glossop on day four, ending in the beautiful Yorkshire market town of Skipton. On the final day, the weary cyclists will have a 45-mile journey west from Skipton, finishing the day and challenge in Morecambe, Lancashire, where they will be welcomed by friends and family at the Midland Hotel.

Commenting on the challenge, the Master said: “It has become customary in recent years for the incumbent Master to spearhead a challenge in aid of the charity. As a passionate advocate for Lancashire, I was keen on organising an event that imbues the camaraderie and fellowship of being a member of the livery company and that also culminated in enjoying the sights of my beloved home county. All the money raised will help fund our charitable activities – inspiring new talent into the industry and supporting the welfare of people working in the trade.

“The ride will be split into five legs offering cyclists of different experience levels, or those unable to commit to the full route, the opportunity to join in the fun along the way. There is still plenty of time to join the cycling team, so please get in touch.”

Various sponsorship opportunities are available, including having your business’ logo on the team cycle jersey. For sponsorship enquiries, please email marketing@furnituremakers.org.uk. You can also donate towards the team’s £50,000 target via JustGiving: www.justgiving.com/campaign/FMCCharityBikeRide2022