MacRide - 20 years on

October 2025 marks 20 years from the first MacRide cycling event I organised to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.   I'm rather proud of this - but I hope the post doesn't come across as "trumpet blowing"

How it started . . early 2005 – discussion with Bernadette Halton from Macmillan Cancer Support:  "Why don’t we run a charity cycle ride at Stratford-upon-Avon?  . . . BUT - if we can’t raise £5,000 it’s not worth doing"

October 2005 - the first event starting at Stratford-upon-Avon High School, 25 mile and 50 mile routes.  180 entries, £14,000 raised (net of costs) - so we carried on! In 2007 we moved the start to the Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway Station "Park & Ride" site to allow the expansion of rider numbers.

From 2006-2016 the MacRide evolved into 3 different styles of event each year, plus a few special events in partnership with some commercial businesses - all raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Support..

Getting the riders underway - the biggest event day (September 2013) saw 1,300 riders across 2 events.

Statistics: 35 events in 11 years - Over 6,500  rider participants - More than 550,000 miles cycled  - Over 2,000  MacRide cycling jerseys sold - £800,000+ (net) raised for Macmillan Cancer Support

The MacRide Events team “retired” after the 2016 MacRide Tour event - a number of reasons, but we think we went out on a high after 11 years. 

 l-r: Jenni, Philippa, Me, Bernadette, Aidan