Salford Angels Bike Ride to Denman

7am, Friday 24th May on an overcast and very windy Salford Quays, a group of intrepid (or mad, depending on your perspective) women set off on a mammoth 166 mile bike ride from there to Denman College….. lets start at the beginning.

Salford Angels started in December 2011, and as a relatively new W.I some of our members fancied ‘a challenge’, so the idea was muted that maybe we undertake a bit of a bike ride, to Oxfordshire. Some of us laughed, then realised that they were serious, talk about wiping the smile off your face!

So it was, that at the beginning of 2013, training for the ride started.
The age of ladies ranged from their 20s to their 60s, some were experienced riders, others hadn’t been on a bike for years, so it was decided that some would try and do all the way, while others would do it in a kind of relay, say 20 miles on and 20 miles off etc.

The May Bank holiday was chosen, hoping the weather would be more…reliable. It wasn’t. On that first day, we endured gale force winds, driving rain, hailstones, 2 broken bikes and occasional sunny, if cold, spells. We had a welcome rest at Lichfield, where we were met by a fantastic group of ladies from Lichfield Afternoon and Evening W.Is who made us so welcome and served wonderful tea and cakes to keep us going to the 100 mile mark, and a good nights sleep.

The next day, the sun shone, and we had the chance to enjoy the ride, rather than endure it. Again, we had a chance to meet up, and partake of tea and cake, with a group of lovely ladies from Ducklington W.I, before the last big push to Denman.

At about 4pm on Saturday, 9 women rode into the College grounds to be greeted by supporters, bike support vehicles and staff from Denman and have a well deserved glass of champagne.

2 of the group, Becki Morris and Karen Usher did it the whole way, and all the other ladies, Kate Hadfield, Charlotte Pritchard, Emma Smith, Rosemary Blanchfield (our friend and first W.I Advisor), Steph Todd, Mags Savage, Jo Almond and Sarah Morton did between 15 and 110 miles each, an amazing achievement, giving a combined mileage of 811.4 miles. We all had sponsorship and our aim is to raise £3,000 by Christmas this year, to be split between the Angels and Salford Young Careers, and we are well on our way, thanks to peoples generosity and our dedicated bike riders.

It couldn’t have been done without our support crew, Angels President Suzanne Rigg chief Navigator, time keeper, encourager and occasional bully, ‘what do you mean you want to rest, get on your bike’, Julia Spencer Tweeter extraordinaire, Sam Smith Photographer and last miler, honourary women Gordon & Adam Van & Minibus Drivers, navigators and massive supporters & Peggy our furry little mascot. Well done everyone!!