Saddle up for Hungerford Big Wheel
Former town GP galvanises support for big charity cycle next month
HUNGERFORD Big Wheel organisers are aiming to top last year's total of £3,000.
The event takes place on Sunday, July 24, starting from Inkpen Gate on Hungerford Common at 10am.
It raises money for Children In Distress which helps seriously ill children in several centres in Romania where conditions for children with severe congenital conditions are still grim.
One of the organisers is former Hungerford GP Dr Robin Dunn and the town has a decade-long history of helping Romanian children.
There have been fundraising events by pupils at John O'Gaunt Community Technology College, Hungerford Churches Together, Charles Lucas and Marshall solicitors and town-based marathon runner Bill Withers, plus individual efforts with auctions, raffles and even a clay pigeon shoot.
Dr Dunn, who visiting Romania in the early 1990s and who galvanised support from the town with lectures and slide shows in the Croft Hall, said: “This is a sponsored bike ride now in its 14th year. We would like to make this a bumper year.
“I have been going out to Romania for 18 years and I have been twice this year, so can vouch for the work that the charity does.”
He added: “It's a beautiful ride through some of Berkshire and Wiltshire's most attractive countryside. Ther are two rides to cater for all standards of bikers. The family fun ride is 26 miles long and starts on Hungerford common and goes through lanes and tracks to Savernake forest where we have a barbecue. It's then back along the Kennet river to Hungerford common.
“The mountain bike ride is 33 miles and is fairly challenging - it goes up Combe Hill on off-road tracks and also goes to Savernake where they join the other ride for the barbecue and go home by the same route.”
There is a prize of a mountain bike for the best sponsored rider.
Entry is “12.50 which includes the barbecue, and £25 for family of four.
Entry forms and more information are available online at www.hungerfordbigwheel.info
