Helping to hit meningitis for six in memory of Josh
If you’re in the Somerset area next Saturday – 17 September – why not pop along to a Family Fun Day at Bridgwater Cricket Club and cheer home a group of intrepid long-distance cyclists?
A team of eight will be completing the inaugural Cycle for the Vicar ride between Sheffield and Bridgwater in memory of their close friend and father of three Josh Vickery, who died suddenly from meningitis in August last year, aged 40.
They’re hoping to raise £10,000 from the 325-mile four-day ride, which will be split between our lifesaving and life-changing work and accounts for Josh’s three children, which they can access when they’re older.
Cycling to every cricket ground
Josh’s friend Mike Coles, who’s organised the fundraiser, told us: “Originally I came up with the idea of cycling around to every county cricket ground in the UK but I was persuaded to revise the route to include things that were closest to Josh during his life.
“So instead of that we are embarking on a 325-mile four-day cycle, starting at Sheffield Hallam Uni, which Josh attended, and ending up at Bridgwater Cricket Club, where Josh played so many years of cricket.”
The group, comprising Mike, Ian, James, Ben, Andrew, Mark, Tom P, Tom W and their support crew of Andrew, Mike, Nathan, are expected to arrive back at Bridgwater Cricket Club between 2 and 3 on Saturday.
Family fun day for arrival home
“Bridgwater Cricket Club are putting on a huge event for our arrival back into Bridgwater as a family fun day, which Josh would have loved,” Mike added.
The Family Fun Afternoon is open from 12pm and among the attractions are inflatable slides and castles, as well as face painting. Food is available and the club bar will be open all day. In the evening there will be music from the Vixens and Jimmy and the Judges, beginning at 6pm.
Entry is free but donations will be welcome on the day. Or people can donate via GoFundMe.
Please attend or donate
“Everyone’s support with attendance or donating to the GoFundMe page would be hugely appreciated,” Mike added. “We want to make this a huge event and hopefully continue to run these events every couple of years.”
Our Fundraising Officer Kat Hollywell said: “We’d like to thank Mike and everyone taking part in this event and attending the family day for helping to raise such important awareness of meningitis and funds to fight back against it. We wish them all well with this inaugural ride and look forward to hearing about further events in the future.”
