Skip to content.

The national charity and leading voice for disabled people in sport and activity

Menu. Open and close this menu with the ENTER key.

UK Bike Ride Charity Appeal

GB Paralympian, Ben Rushgrove, who won bronze in the 200m T36 race at London 2012 and was silver medallist in the 100m at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, officially started a group of riders from Everyone Active's Horfield Leisure Centre as they set off on the first leg of a 1342 mile UK bike challenge in aid of Disability Sport Events.  

The 24 year old sprinter, who has cerebral palsy, sounded the starting claxon for the riders. They were all members of staff from Everyone Active, who operate Horfield Leisure Centre as well as five other leisure centres in Bristol and 70 other leisure centres throughout the UK.

Over 500 cyclists from Everyone Active will take part in a relay that is aiming to raise £25,000 for the charity during this mammoth two week effort. The route will visit all of the centres operated by Everyone Active including the most northerly centre in Grimsby and the most southerly in Plymouth. An official Olympic Commemorative Baton will be handed between the different legs provided by one of the London 2012 volunteers who also works for Everyone Active. They too aim to pass the baton.

The money that Everyone Active raises will fund the festivals of sport that Disability Sport Events host every year. The festivals enable disabled children to take part in a multitude of sport- often their first experience. Disability Sport Events is the EFDS's events programme.

Commenting on the challenge, organiser, Mark Leahy who is a contract manager for Everyone Active said:

“We have undertaken cycling challenges in the past but nothing on this scale.  The relay of riders will visit all of our leisure centres and will involve over 500 of our colleagues, from the keen enthusiast to the serious cyclist. It’s a great chance for us all to give something back to the world of disability sports".

The event will finish back at Horfield Leisure Centre on Saturday 28 September when the finishing team will kick off a 24 hour World Record attempt, which will be completed at all Everyone Active run centres. Anybody can take part in this event – teams, couples or individuals.  It is a minimum of £5 donation to take part and the rest is then up to you.

To help raise money please visit the online Just Giving page

Follow their progress

You can also follow their progress on Facebook and Twitter.