insideKENT Magazine Issue 39 - June 2015 | Page 171

CHARITY

HUNDREDS OF CYCLISTS TAKE TO KENT STREETS

Hundreds of cyclists took to the streets of Kent
this spring to raise money for Demelza Hospice
Care for Children in the charity's first Pedal for
a Purpose bike ride.
There were three routes for participants to choose
from – a 17-mile family route, a 52-mile classic
ride, and a 103-mile epic course – all of which
left from the hospice in Rook Lane, Bobbing.
A total of 336 people cycled and the event has
already raised £9,000 for the charity, with more
money still to be counted.
Pedal for a Purpose was organised in partnership
with Swale-based Quick Release Cycling Club.
The club formed in February 2013 and after
some members took part in the Demelza 101
challenge last year (cycling from Sittingbourne
to Paris), they decided to do something else for
the local charity.

Everyone who took part was presented with a
medal on completion and the children were all
given a Demelza dotty wristband.
Demelza events coordinator, Emma Austen, said:
“All of us at Demelza would like to say a huge
thank you to all the cyclists who took part. It was
a fantastic event with a brilliant atmosphere and
we are overwhelmed at the positive feedback
we’ve had about it.
“It’s the first time we have held this bike ride and
as it was so popular we will be running it again
in 2016.

“I would also like to thank the Quick Release
Cycling Club for helping to organise it; MK
Cycling, for providing mechanical support; Dole
Fresh for donating bananas; Asda Old Kent Road
for a voucher donation, so that we could buy
snacks for the riders; and of course, all the
volunteers and staff who helped on the day.”

Find out more about
Demelza at
www.demelza.org.uk
and follow the charity on
Facebook and Twitter
at @demelzahospice.

“We are delighted with the amount of money it
has raised – a sum which will make a huge
difference to our children and families.

TREE OF HOPE CHILDREN'S CHARITY
Tree of Hope is a registered UK charity that has
been set up to help support sick or disabled
children and their families in the UK and Ireland
by providing and assisting in the provision of
grants to enable them to obtain medical surgery,
treatment, therapies and equipment that would
not otherwise be available.
Many of these children have long-term medical
needs and may require surgery, on-going therapy
and equipment to help improve their quality of
life and help them reach their maximum potential.
There are currently 800,000 disabled children
living in the UK. With our health service under
ever-increasing strain, many families wishing to
gain access to life-enhancing procedures and
treatment for their children are left floundering
due to budgetary constraints. Tree of Hope
believes every child afflicted with illness or living
with disability should have the opportunity to
benefit from the multitude of interventions that
exist to improve young lives within our health
services.
Fundraising is one way to help cover these costs
but it can be an overwhelming task. This is where
Tree of Hope can help families achieve their
fundraising goals by offering guidance on how
to organise and run a successful fundraising

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campaign with step-by-step instructions to create
a Just Giving page and on-going support.
Bertie’s family from Kent recently began its
fundraising campaign through Tree of Hope and
has since raised approximately £11,000 towards
its goal of £25,000. After difficulties at birth, Bertie
was diagnosed with Hypoxic-Ischemic
Encephalopathy grade III, whic \