We love to hear what happened at Suffolk Churches Ride and Stride 2024 – and at Pedal and Drive. Please see them to us, with a photo if possible.
Well done to everyone who took part!
JAMES SEAGAR
Pre-race: My boys have been wanting to do something for a local charity for sometime now and this event is perfect. We are all keen runners and cyclists! I have planned a route, I will be running and Bobbie and Jack aged 12 will be biking. The route will take us 42 miles across the Suffolk Countryside and will visit 21 Churches on our way.
• Lawshall All Saints
• Shimpling St George’s
• Hartest All Saints
• Somerton St Margaret
• Boxted All Saints
• Glemsford St Mary
• Glemsford Tye Green Meth
• Long Melford Holy Trinity
• Long Melford St Catherine
• Lavenham St Peter and Paul
• Brent Eleigh St Mary
• Preston St Mary
• Thorpe Morieux St Mary
• Cockfield St Peter
• Cockfield Congressional
• Bradfield St Claire
• Bradfield St George
• Little Welnetham St Mary Mag
• Great Welnetham St Thomas
• Bradfield Methodist
• Stanningfield St Nicholas
Then finish back at Lawshall All Saints.
Update from James Seagar: We had a brilliant day making so many memories. The boys did amazing. We covered 40 miles and 19 Churches (missed two of the list due to falling behind on time) we got to the last Church on the list (Stanningfield) at 16:50
MARY LUXMOORE-STYLES
At Flowton the elephant and baby elephant on the wind vane is because the travelling circus overwintered in the fields beside at Flowton church.
JAMES CARTLIDGE, MP.
James Cartlidge, MP, a keen cyclist, who was taking part in Suffolk Churches Ride and Stride for the 6th year, raising money for the Trust and St Andrew’s church, Gt Cornard.
“I choose a different church to support each year,” he explained, “and I try to get to about twenty churches on the day. Today I’ve been out to Somerton, the furthest point of my constituency westwards. Last year for Hadleigh I raised well over £1000! I had a really bad puncture today at Boxtead church near Glemsford, fixed it with help, but coming down the hill quite fast at Shimpling, it went again and I nearly came off! An American chap helped me, and we found I had a broken valve.”
Swapping bikes, he made it to Lavenham and then completed his journey.
DAVID MILLER
Here’s a picture of Hector & Hugo (& Sarah) taking part in Ride & Stride, visiting St Mary-le-Tower this afternoon.Hector & Hugo are seasoned church-crawlers & have visited all c.500 Suffolk churches of medieval foundation.
GREG SPRAY
Greg called into a quilt exhibition on his ride! The quilt exhibition at Gt Glenham church had lots of Ride & Stride visitors plus quilt aficionados.
NORMAN KELLY
Another of our wonderful volunteer Area Organisers, Norman Kelly, was out on his bike again.
