Cyclists set to support seafaring charity with biggest turnout yet for annual Bridge2Bridge ride

A biking business leader who cycled hundreds of miles and raised thousands of pounds from two charity rides is ready to take off the stabilisers and pass the project to the organisation it supports.

Adam Walsh, the CEO of John Good Group, will still captain the team for the annual Bridge2Bridge challenge but the Sailors’ Children’s Society will take on the organisation of the event, which raised £20,000 in 2024.

The charity is planning this year’s ride now and is looking to sign up 30 business people who fancy tackling the gruelling route from the Severn Bridge to the Humber Bridge and completing 212 miles in just two days.

Hull-based Ken Ellerker Cycles will again provide support for the team and the Society is seeking additional sponsorship for the ride which will leave the Severn Bridge first thing on Saturday 13 September and arrive at the Humber Bridge late afternoon on Sunday 14 September.

Adam said: “We want to make the Bridge2Bridge ride bigger, with more riders helping us to hit higher fundraising targets, and the best way to do that is for the Society, as a nationwide charity, to take the lead in activating its network of supporters and to organise their involvement.

“I’ll still be there to lead the team, the John Good Group will still be backing me and together we’ll be promoting the Bridge 2 Bridge ride and the benefits it brings to the charity and the participants.”

Natasha Barley, CEO of the Society, said: “We are so grateful to Adam and to John Good Group. Adam completed the incredible feat of covering the 212 miles in a solo ride in just one day in 2023. With logistical support from his business and others, he assembled a team of eight for the two-day trip last year and now we’re aiming for 30 riders.

“That’s a game-changer in terms of organisation so the Society is putting in more effort to enable Adam to concentrate on leading the riders. Last year we had a mix of experience and ability – including a novice who had never cycled long distances – and they all finished the ride in style.”

Riders can register online and each one will be asked to raise at least £1,500 to support the work of the Society, which is 204 years old this year and works to support disadvantaged children from the Royal Navy, merchant navy, offshore wind industry, fishing fleets and inland waterways.

Adam said: “Make no mistake, it’s a challenge, physically and mentally. But the rewards of the training and completing the event itself, at a personal level, make it all worthwhile. 

“The feeling you get when the Humber Bridge comes into view needs to be experienced. You know you’re down to the last few miles, and you look around to see a group of riders who are now all friends.

“You then cross the finish line to see your support team, friends and family looking on proudly. It’s really quite special. You’ve completed a challenging thing. And then you reflect on the money you’ve raised and the difference it makes for families across the country. That’s when it hits you that you’ve helped make a difference – and that is the biggest reward of all!”

Angie Rawson joined the ride last year with colleagues from Boluda Towage SMS Ltd  and with her husband Geoff. Angie said, “It’s a great cause and, especially as I work in the marine industry, I felt it was a nice way to put something back into the industry community while at the same time representing all the women by taking part in this challenging event.”

Geoff added: “My motivation was to support the Sailors’ Children’s Society, which has been close to my family’s heart, as my parents worked in maritime jobs.

“I had a triple heart bypass just a year before and the ride gave me a goal and a sense of personal achievement. There was a true spirit of camaraderie with the other riders, and even though we didn’t know anyone at the start, we soon gelled into a group all with the same aim of completing the charity ride and raising as much money as we could.”

To find out more about Bridge2Bridge and to register visit:

https://sailorschildren.org.uk/events/gear-up-for-good-cycle-212-miles/