Councillor Anne Hughes with the organisers of Pembrokeshire Bike Ride, Tim Hughes, Phillip Hughes, Mark Rendall, Dorian Rees, and Nigel Flower, Margaret Burnett of Shalom House and Pembrokeshire Counselling Service, Peter Ryder, Kevin Hire, and other sponsors and guests
The hard work put into Pembrokeshire Bike Ride every year has been praised by the Chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council, Councillor Anne Hughes.
Councillor Hughes held a reception for the organisers and their guests at County Hall on Monday evening to thank them for their sterling efforts.
“We wanted to congratulate everyone and offer thanks for all they have done to raise money for different organisations in the county. They’ve done a remarkable job,” she said.
Since 2000, Pembrokeshire Bike Ride has raised £78,000 for a large number of charities in the County.
And it was one of those charities, Shalom House in St Davids, that led to the ride being created.
One of the main organisers, Tim Hughes, said his mother suggested to him and his brother Phillip – who were already keen cyclists – that they do a sponsored bike ride for Shalom. “It just took off from there,” he said. “People enjoyed the day and asked when the next one was.”
Within just a few years, the ride was attracting hundreds of cyclists and raising thousands of pounds for local charities.
Next year is the 10th anniversary, and in a bid to push the fundraising over £100,000, a sponsored climb of Kilimanjaro will be taking place as well as the bike ride.
“The reception was a great chance to recognise the volunteers, sponsors and everyone else who helps organise the ride,” said Tim, of 1 Stop Financial Services in Haverfordwest.
“But the main people we would like to thank are the riders themselves, or we wouldn’t have been able to achieve any of this.
“In particular we’d like to thank Peter Ryder, the highest individual fundraiser of the ride, who has raised £5,000 over the years, Kevin Hire, of Radio Pembrokeshire, who has always been a huge support to us in publicising the event and taking it to a higher level and the local sponsors who have always come back year after year to support this great event.”
