Ride High, a local children’s charity that transforms the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people in the community, is calling on people to saddle up and take part in its sponsored Cycle Challenge.
After the success of the last two cycle events, Ride High’s challenge will be returning on Sunday June 9, 2024, with 25, 50 and 100-mile road routes. Starting and finishing at the charity’s home in central MK, riders will travel through the villages and countryside of Buckinghamshire. There will be pit-stop stations and roaming support throughout the routes. Once across the finish line, cyclists will receive a medal that has been hand-decorated by the Ride High children and will be able to celebrate their achievement at the post-event barbecue.
The charity is encouraging local businesses to enter teams, or individuals to sign up and join one of the guided groups, led by an experienced cyclist. The challenge is a supportive team event open to all abilities, with the goal to get outdoors while also raising necessary funds that helps the charity to continue its important work.
Ride High supports children whose challenging circumstances and traumas make daily life a struggle. Many of the children find it hard to engage or communicate, and Ride High uses horses as a means to connect with the children to help transform their lives. This can effect lasting change in the children’s self-confidence and attitude, so they become happy, young people who are positively engaged in the outside world.
Alice, 14, was referred to Ride High by her family social worker as her homelife was chaotic. Alice had never ridden a horse and, despite being an animal lover, was nervous, but with the support of the team those nerves soon disappeared.
She said: “It’s funny, I feel so relaxed when I’m on a horse now, I just forget about everything else, and it seems like the most natural place to be”.
Alice’s new riding ability fills her with great pride, gives her a sense of accomplishment, and has helped to steer her in a positive direction. She added: “I find horses fascinating – they’re all so different with their own personalities and I love the bond you can build with them. I’ve learnt so much at Ride High and the experience has taught me a lot about myself too.”
There is a growing pressure on children’s mental health and wellbeing services in the local area, and despite increasing the weekly intake of children by 33% in the last year, Ride High has over 100 children on its waiting list and is inundated with referrals from local authorities. Fundraising events, such as the cycle challenge, are fundamental in raising money that allows Ride High to continue to offer these services. The last cycle challenge managed to raise enough money to fund 12 children on a three-month programme.
Over the last 15 years Ride High has helped to transform the lives of over 2,000 children and young people.
Click here join the Ride High Sponsored Cycle Challenge. The registration fee is £35 and fundraising targets apply.
