Hundreds of cyclists got up bright and early at the weekend for The Greater Haywards Heath Bike Ride 2024.
The huge community challenge started at 8.30am on Sunday, May 19, with riders arriving at The Broadway from about 7.30am.
Two celebrity guests helped Mid Sussex MP Mims Davies cut the ribbon, alongside Haywards Heath mayor Stephanie Inglesfield, chairman of the Bike Ride Team Mike Oliver (Mike Oliver Associates) and John Stebbings of Thakeham.
These were World Champion swimmer Karen Pickering MBE and BAFTA award-winning actor, writer and director Adam Deacon (Kidulthood, Adulthood) who is an ambassador for Bipolar UK.
Video by Lawrence Smith
The huge community challenge started at 8.30am on Sunday, May 19, with riders arriving at The Broadway from about 7.30am.
Two celebrity guests helped Mid Sussex MP Mims Davies cut the ribbon, alongside Haywards Heath mayor Stephanie Inglesfield, chairman of the Bike Ride Team Mike Oliver (Mike Oliver Associates) and John Stebbings of Thakeham.
These were World Champion swimmer Karen Pickering MBE and BAFTA award-winning actor, writer and director Adam Deacon (Kidulthood, Adulthood) who is an ambassador for Bipolar UK.
Video by Lawrence Smith
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Thank you to all of you for coming for the local marathons, which is so important.
00:06 Every year we have a lot of people coming to the marathons.
00:09 So, just to be said, a massive good luck, I hope you all have a good time,
00:14 and I hope you all finish well at the end and have a great time.
00:19 Thank you, that's Sharon Pickering for Olympia.
00:23 A lovely lady who's helping us start the march for Picro.
00:27 I just want to say thank you for having me,
00:31 and thank you so much for such a big turnout.
00:35 We're getting so much fun going.
00:37 I'm actually here with the Paddles and Matches, who are from the UK.
00:40 You can come over and talk to us, I'm with the Blue Group.
00:43 It's just an amazing turnout, I just wanted to start the race. Thank you.
00:47 Are we ready?
00:49 We are all ready to get out on the way,
00:52 and it's quite inexhaustible, I think, carrying all of this stuff.
00:56 OK, here we go, three, two, one, hands on head,
00:59 don't clap, don't do anything.
01:01 Five, four, three, two, one.
01:05 You're off!
01:07 Thank you, guys.
01:09 Have a good one, everybody.
01:12 [Bell ringing]
01:15 Have a good one.
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02:40 It's fabulous, it's great to see so many people up on a Sunday morning.
02:45 It's a good day for it, it's dry, sunshine,
02:49 just so many people up cycling,
02:51 and great to see so many kids as well getting involved.
02:55 It's just been such a good cause to be able to do events like this
02:59 for local charities where every penny can make such a difference.
03:03 It's really great to be back at the Greater Havarty Bike Ride,
03:06 raising really important money for Sussex Search and Rescue,
03:10 for Bipolar, and of course supported by amazing local volunteers
03:14 from our brilliant Rotary team and the Mid Sussex Radio here.
03:18 And of course all the bars and restaurants getting the benefit of the support
03:22 for our really important hospitality sector.
03:25 I know those bike riders having been here over the years,
03:28 giving out the medals and the T-shirts and supporting people as they go.
03:32 It really matters getting that cheer when they come back
03:35 and somewhere to rest and recuperate.
03:37 It's a beautiful area to bike ride and I'm really proud to be part of it.
03:41 Thanks to Ruth and all the team for making it happen another year.
03:44 So my name's John Stebbings, I work for the Fakham,
03:48 we are the lead sponsor of the event.
03:50 I think it's a fantastic opportunity for people to get involved and get active.
03:53 I think it's an opportunity for us in terms of being community involved as well,
03:58 and I think therefore we're a community-led part of what we do at Fakham.
04:01 It's something we base our schemes upon and our ethos and how we work.
04:06 I think that for me personally, I think there's a huge element to this about wellbeing
04:10 and getting people active.
04:12 With everything we've been through over the last few years as a community,
04:15 I think it's great to see people out there getting active and enjoying it.
04:18 It's another great event in Helsinki.
04:21 The weather is absolutely perfect for a bike ride.
04:24 It's been organised by the Rotary Club, the sponsors are amazing,
04:30 like Mike Oliver, and everybody's having a wonderful time.
04:34 I saw little children on bikes, I saw mums and dads with the baby in the back.
04:40 And once again, the sun is shining, and it's just a very happy event.
04:46 And all for two good causes, for Bifolio UK and for Sussex Search and Rescue.
04:53 So yeah, a lot to be happy about today.