Saddling up for a challenge

More than 300 people took part in an off-road bike ride on Sunday to raise money for the Southwell Care Project.

It is hoped more than £3,000 was raised for the project through

Tonya’s Challenge.

The event, which included four trails around the Southwell countryside, replaced Tonya’s Bike Ride, organised by Miss Beryl Smith (75) of Lower Kirklington Road, Southwell.

The bike ride was the idea of Miss Smith’s granddaughter, Miss Tonya Hinds (32) of Norwood Gardens, Southwell, a care project user.

It had been held five times since 2000.

But Miss Smith and Miss Hinds decided they could no longer organise the ride because of Miss Hinds’ poor health.

However, the new event has retained Miss Hinds’ name and she was at the start line outside Southwell Rugby Club on Sunday morning to officially start the challenge.

This year the event was planned by Mrs Anna Joyce, of Westgate, Southwell, who organised bike rides in the Vale of Belvoir before moving to Southwell.

Mrs Joyce said the challenge had been a success and would become an annual event.

She said more than half the entrants came from outside the area, so they would try to get more local people involved.

Entrants could choose from routes of 37 miles, 20 miles, 91/2 miles or 51/2 miles.

All routes included a trail through Halloughton Woods and finished at the rugby club.

The longer routes took riders on trails around the surrounding villages of Morton, Thurgarton, Epperstone, Lowdham, Lambley and Hoveringham.

Regular refreshment stops for the entrants were included along the routes.

Contributions were made by the Waggon and Horses, Halam, which provided 500 large chocolate chip cookies; members of Epperstone WI who gave out homemade flapjacks; Thurgarton Cricket Club which gave out bananas; and Fiskerton Wives group who provided refreshments in Morton.

Southwell Care Project was set up in 1999 by parents concerned about what would happen to their children with learning difficulties when they could no longer care for them.

The project, on Westgate, helps adults with learning difficulties to live independently in the community where possible and offers practical courses and support to them, and counselling and advice to their families and carers.

Results from the challenge can be viewed at www.tonyas-challenge.org