Oxfordshire firefighters thousand mile cycle ride for charity

On 13th May 2016 a team of 16 cyclists from Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service, along with a support team of 4, will set off south on the 1,006 mile journey.

Leading the pack will be Chief Fire Officer Dave Etheridge who is personally undertaking the “top to bottom” tour as a ‘Chiefs challenge’

He said:” We have three aims which are to promote Health and Wellbeing, to raise a fantastic £100,000 for the Fire Fighters Charity and, obviously to make it to Land's End safe and sound!

“The target of £100,000 is the largest sum we have ever tried to raise in a single event and we are hoping everyone will get behind us by sponsoring team members, (making donations, pledges, buying raffle tickets?)

“Our journey will take us 14 days (we will be having a rest day!) riding approximately 80 miles a day and stopping at nine  different Fire and Rescue Services - Scottish, Cumbria, Lancashire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Devon & Somerset and finally Cornwall. On the Oxfordshire leg we will involve Royal Berkshire and Buckingham & Milton Keynes Fire and Rescue Services, inviting them to be part of the ride as we travel through their counties.”

The fundraising fire fighters ages range from early 20’s to 63 and are all enthusiastic cyclists. Some are veterans of an Oxford to Bonn ride whilst others are new to long distance riding - meet the team here http://www.jogle2016.co.uk/meet-the-team.html

The team are partnered with Oxford Brookes University and Oxfordshire County Council Public Health who are both assisting   with promoting the health and wellbeing message.

Each team member is giving up their own time to undertake the ride, train, fundraise and promote Health and Wellbeing. Through Virgin Money Giving, you can sponsor us and donations will be quickly processed and passed to the Fire Fighters Charity.

Coincidentally 1006 is also the measurement of Oxfordshire in square miles.

For more information including information about the team visit www.JOGLE2016.co.uk

www.firefighterscharity.org.uk is a national charity supporting firefighters.  –  Oxfordshire FRS has raised  between £70 – 110k per year over the last ten years but this is the first time they have attempted to raise the moeny through one main event. Stations all around the county are still fundraising as usual so the hope would be for about £150k across the brigade.