From 8 to 98- no age limit on Wiltshire’s Ride and Striders

Local people are being invited to have a fun day out and help preserve our beautiful Wiltshire Churches with this year’s Ride+Stride event on Saturday 14 September.

Anyone can take part – there is no enrolment fee.  You can walk, ride a bike, a horse or a mobility scooter, and the idea is to visit as many (or as few) churches as you like; you plan your own route.  Last year over 350 people of all ages joined in and raised £62,000.

Any sponsorship money raised is divided between the participant’s chosen church or chapel and the Wiltshire Historic Churches Trust, which provides grants to churches for urgent repairs and enhancements.  Most churches will be open, and many will have someone there to welcome visitors with refreshments.

The day will be officially launched at 10.00 at St Bartholomew’s Church, Corsham, by the Lord-Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Mrs. Sarah Troughton.  All welcome.

Among those taking part this year will be:

• 8-year-old twins Robert and William Wallace who plan to emulate their hero Pheidippides (the first Marathon runner) by cycling 26 miles to churches around Salisbury;
• Andrew Makower from Tidcombe, whose efforts last year contributed to the cost of replacing their church roof, stolen by thieves;
• The Rev. Richard Curtis, Team Rector of the Cannings and Redhorn Team, who intends to do a run round all the churches in his Team (having conducted a wedding earlier in the day);
• Colonel Michael Elcomb, aged 98, who will ride in elegant style on his mobility scooter from his home to St Mary’s Church, Codford, He saw action during the Second World War in North Africa, where he was wounded, in Malta, Sicily and Germany.

Those wishing to sponsor any of these, please contact [email protected].. Even better, take part yourself.  Sponsorship forms, instructions and lists of churches can be downloaded from www.wiltshirehistoricchurchestrust.org.uk.