Last year saw an extraordinary milestone achieved for the Bike Ride as we passed the £4 million raised since the event started in 1983. This money has made a huge difference in preserving Norfolk’s iconic and beautiful churches either through the money that goes directly back to the church of the participants choice, or through grants given out by the Norfolk Churches Trust.
2020 proved, against all the odds, to be a record breaking year and so we were holding our breath as to how 2021 would go given that Covid was still with us. It turned out to be another huge success with a total of £130,156 raised by a gallant 711 people who took to their bikes, laced up their walking or running shoes, braved the sea and used transport that included boats, horses, tandems, mobility scooters, cars and buses.
In whatever form you did the bike ride we hope that you had a thoroughly enjoyable day exploring our wonderful churches and we thank you for all your efforts form the bottom of our hearts!
A few statistics, highlights and results of competitions:
- 2021 saw an estimated additional 189 new participants – to whom thank you and welcome!
- 307 places of worship received cheques
- Harry Steel from Baconsthorpe raised the most money and he will be awarded the Prince of Wales Certificate.
- Brampton, St Peter was the most improved church and the church will receive a cheque for £1,000
- Hempstead All Saints by Holt raised the most money.
- Keith Gilbert was the top cyclist visiting a staggering 61 places of worship
- Gwen Spooner, Jenny and Richard Holcombe tied as the top walkers visiting a blistering 35 churches and chapels on foot.
- We love seeing pictures of the churches, their wonderful artefacts and people taking part and enjoying their day. We will choose three people to receive £50 cheques for the photographs we enjoyed the most and hopefully they will have their pictures published in the EDP.
Thank you, thank you, thank you again from all of us at the Norfolk Churches Trust and thank you from the places of worship you are helping to support.
Amazingly our thoughts now turn to the 2022 Bike Ride and we are now working towards this year’s event on 10th September. Please put the date in your diary and help us to build on 2021’s success and we shall keep in touch over the year with our regular newsletters.
In the meantime, sit back and rest on your laurels and bask in a heartfelt thank you from all us here at the Norfolk Churches Trust Bike Ride and we shall look forward to doing it all over again in September!
We would like to thank Savills for sponsoring the event this year.
