Our Nightriders prepare

It’s now just over a week away.  A group of UDS supporters is among thousands of fundraisers now well into their training regimes for a big Saturday night out. ..and praying for good weather.

Nightrider will see 3,000 cyclists undertake one of the UK’s most exciting sporting charity challenges.  On the night of Saturday 9th-Sunday 10th June they will don their helmets and  hi-viz jackets to pedal a 100-kilometre route around London, taking in the famous sights,   the empty city streets, and some serious hills.

And among the riders is our local vicar – Reverend Peter Mackenzie (pictured).

This  will be the third annual Nightrider, and this year UDS has 29 participants, up from five the first year we took part.  UDS is just one of 250 charitable causes raising money on the night.

Reverend Mackenzie, vicar at West Ealing’s St. John’s Church,  has been training for months. Asked whether he’d ever done anything like this before, he said:  “First time for me.  I did quite a bit of cycling when I was younger, but not much for years.”

There are two start/finish points – one at Alexandra Palace in the north, the other down south at Crystal Palace. Staggered starts run from 11 pm to 01.35 am.  The route  follows two huge loops round north and south London, and takes in some 50 famous landmarks, including Tower Bridge,  St Paul’s Cathedral, Canary Wharf, the Houses of Parliament and the Albert Hall, as well as the West End and the City. It also presents some formidable climbs at Tulse Hill, Muswell Hill and Hampstead..and some exhilarating descents.  Most riders complete the route in 6 – 8 hours.

It’s a unique way to see London. And it goes right through the night.  Asked what he was looking forward to most, Reverend Mckenzie said: “ I’m tempted to say 'the downhill sections' but I am really looking forward to enjoying this magnificent city lit up at night and especially going over the iconic Tower Bridge.”

Last year, with 15 riders, we raised over £10,000 for our work in Uganda.  This year we’re aiming for £15,000.    Reverend Mackenzie knows the ride will be tough, especially the final hill at Crystal Palace, but says it’s all in a good cause:  “I am doing this to raise money and awareness for the wonderful work of Uganda Development Services in dramatically improving the lives of some seriously disadvantaged people.  It is about helping others to help themselves out of poverty. If my small efforts go some way to helping people gain the education and employment opportunities that we often take for granted, then it will all have been worth it.”

He won’t be taking the ten o’clock service at St John’s on the Sunday morning though – he’s asked a deputy to do that.

If you would like to sponsor Reverend Mackenzie, please go to his JustGiving page - http://www.justgiving.com/Peter-Mackenzie0 .

For more about Nightrider, visit http://www.nightrider.org.uk/.