We are advised that the 2020 Ride and Stride is going ahead on Saturday, 12 September 2020.
This event is being held, adapting as necessary for whatever Covid-19 guidelines advise on the day. Even though it may feel a bit different this year, and may possibly be a smaller event than normal, the Trust has decided to go ahead with this year’s Ride and Stride, as well as its sister event, Pedal and Drive for vintage and classic cars.
Not all churches may be open for the Ride and Stride, and there may be no-one to welcome or sign you in, but two or three people cycling together in the Suffolk countryside or walking in our towns should be perfectly safe.
Churches that usually offer refreshments may decide not to do so this year and, if a church is not manned, riders and walkers can log the name of the church themselves. Since most people are sponsored by a straight donation rather than per church, this shouldn’t be a problem, and sponsorship can also be collected via JustGiving.
The churches have never needed our help more than this year, so please support this free annual event. Half your sponsor money will go to the Trust to be given in grants for church repairs, and half will go to the church of your choosing.
If the Covid situation were to deteriorate to the extent that it becomes unwise to go ahead, we would not hesitate to cancel and get the word out there. If you are uncertain whether the event is still going ahead, please check on social media or this website.
The Annual Sponsored Ride and Stride is a national event, and every second Saturday in September cyclists and walkers all round the country are out making money for their local county Churches Trust.
The idea started in Suffolk, and consistently Suffolk has headed the table of funds raised. The Ride and Stride is the main source of income to Suffolk Historic Churches Trust to enable it to make grants to churches and chapels of all denominations towards repair and restoration costs.
The Ride and Stride is run entirely by volunteers and is inter-denominational, with participants invited to seek sponsors who will undertake to pay an agreed sum of money for each place of worship visited between 9.00am and 5.00pm on Ride and Stride Day. Alternatively, as mentioned above, this can be done by a straight donation, regardless of the number of churches visited.
The money raised by each cyclist or walker is shared equally between the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust and the place of worship nominated by the participant.
As important as the participants are the many volunteers who give up the day to man the churches and chapels and sign in the cyclists and walkers as they arrive. Hundreds of places of worship are manned during the day and that takes quite a team of volunteers!
It is a real community effort that is the lifeblood of the Trust.
Suffolk has been split into a number of areas, each with its Ride and Stride Area Organiser. Each parish within an area has its own Local Organiser, who will be able to supply the necessary forms. It should be possible to ascertain locally details of your own Area Organiser, who can put you in touch with the Local Organiser looking after your place of worship.
