Tag Archives: bike

More photos from The Waterberg Trust Cycle Challenge Ride 2025

May 13, 2025Uncategorizedbike, biking, cyclingSophie Neville

Blue skies and a well-planned route made The Waterberg Trust Challenge Ride on 10th May 2025 an unforgettable charity fundraising event, which so far has raised a total of £10,681.

It was our 10th challenge ride, laid on to raise funds for the amazing projects we founded and supported in the Waterberg, South Africa.

It is great if supporters set up a monthly gift by standing order to The Waterberg Trust bank account when they first sign up. Here are the details:

Account Name: Waterberg Welfare Society Trust
Sort Code: 40-52-40
Account Number: 00017512

You can sent CAF cheques direct to:
CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JQ

Organised by TWT trustee William Orme and Chariman Barry Burles, a great group of nearly 50 cyclists completed the 75-mile round trip with ease, raising sponsorship or making donations via The Waterberg Trust’s Justgiving page.

Justgiving accept money in 8 different currencies and collect UK Gift Aid with ease.

Everyone had a great time. “It’s like no other bike ride I have been on. Classically English. The boys couldn’t quite believe how wonderful it was.” Greg Glass (Australia)

“Thank you so much for all your hard work in arranging the bike ride and associated activities. Jesse and I had a wonderful day.” David Saunderson

“It was really fun, whatever my bum says.” Tom B-G

“Many thanks go to Elaine Franklin for providing home made refreshments, including Scotch eggs and flapjacks. New friends spent the morning chatting non stop as they cycled along were still equally engaged at lunch! “

“The Franklin’s Scotch Eggs fuel the last 10 miles at the end of the day when the body’s reserves have run out. A critical part of the nutritional planning! Good feeding at every stop is a strong theme of the ride.”

“A great group – We loved the 1908 Lutyens house at the start of the day.” Aidan Prior

TWT Trustee William Orme reports:

We were truly blessed with some great May weather, lots of sunshine, slight breeze, not too hot and we plan for another May date next year. Save the date Saturday 30th May 2026. Due to a late surge, we were almost 50 riders gathered in Sherry’s beautiful garden near Shelford spending probably longer than intended preparing bikes, finding spare helmets, chatting and consuming bacon butties, tea & coffee (thanks to all the helpers) before departing across the front lawn and down through Stapleford.

‘After Duxford it was a steady but gentle climb up to the North Hertfordshire villages. Sadly one rider had a breakdown that required bike shop gear to fix and due to a slight administrative error (my fault) led to the much sought after Franklin’s home-made scotch eggs making a late appearance at our first break at Reed village hall.

The new route to lunch at Southill Park proved popular, even if not entirely tarmac’ed. As ever, we had a diverse range of bike types and people too! It was some hours after the first arrivals that Barry in his traditional sweeper role hove into sight. This year MAMIL’s were in a clear minority!

After a very sociable, sunny and scrumptious buffet lunch, about two thirds of the riders set off in small teams on the route home. It certainly did feel a little harder, the slight breeze now against us. The track from Cockayne Hatley to Hatley St George being particularly testing. The words of William Earnest Henley (buried there) seemed most appropriate “It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll…”.

Tea and ice creams at Wimpole Hall gave a much needed and welcome relief. Without major incident, we did have a couple of unseated riders with nasty road grazes requiring first aid as well as several flat tyres. The remainder made it back to Middlefield for a very enjoyable sunlit evening by the koi pond with mounds of absolutely scrumptious slow-cooked beef, Bill’s signature dish, and a ton of various salads.’

Thank you again to all our hosts and helpers for making it such an enjoyable day and all our supporters for helping The Waterberg Trust continue its most valuable work for the education of young people and conservation of their environment.

“Really enjoyed yesterday’s ride. Looking forward to next time.” Mareeni

“Thanks for another fabulous ride – it’s fast becoming one of my favourite days of the year.” Ben Glass

“Age will not weary them,” says the Chairman of TWT looking much the worse for wear at lunch after 46 miles with the Darbys who hosted the mid morning stop.

You can sign up for next year’s ride here. We have more photos of the 2025 cycle ride on the previous post here.

Many thanks to all those supporting The Waterberg Trust Cycle Challenge.

May 12, 2025Uncategorizedbike, biking, Charity fundraising event, Sponsored rideSophie Neville

TWT Chairman Barry Burles (center) leading the TWT cycle challenge, 2025

The Waterberg Trust challenge cycle ride on Saturday 10th May proved a great success.

A massive thank you to all our sponsors, riders and supporters. It was a great day and (so far) we’ve raised a huge £10,680.88 with hopefully more to come from employers in matched donations and anyone who has been just too busy to make their donation yet. It’s never too late, our JustGiving account is: https://donate.justgiving.com/charity/waterbergtrust/donation-amount

A special thank you, to our regular monthly subscribers now at £341.50 pm (equivalent to £4,098 pa).

Forty-nine riders gathered in Cambridge at 8.00am, taking an exhilarating route to Southill Park to the west of Biggleswade.

Drawing from past experience, TWT trustee William Orme planned the ride with care, accepting riders with all levels of experience on a range of bikes.

The TWT 2025 cycle challenge was a ‘first’ for some who made donations on The Waterberg Trust JustGiving Page where Gift Aid is automatically collected.

Cheques can still be sent to TWT’s CAF bank account

We are hugely grateful for monthly gifts by standing order made direct to The Waterberg Trust bank account as it helps us budget for the future. Our account details are:

Account Name: Waterberg Welfare Society Trust
Sort Code: 40-52-40
Account Number: 00017512
Bank: CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JQ

Eliza celebrates her first TWT ride with brother Shane and Aidan “route-maestro” Prior

A fabulous lunch was provided by trustees Elaine Franklin and Jane Whitbread who were able to chat to riders about TWT’s amazing projects in the Waterberg sustained by their donations.

The weather was glorious and it was a family time for many.

Mother-daughter combos Katie & Pippa Lowe and Christina & Gemma Harrison

Everyone was grateful for refreshments served enroute.

Good friendships were made and great fun was had by all.

Some opted to take a lift home at the 40 mile point. Trailers were organised thanks to Martin Lines of Nature Friendly Farming Network and Charles Whitbread.

TWT Chairman Barry Burles checked all the bikes except his own! He now needs new handlebars and a new seat.

Most riders were keen to complete the whole circuit.

They leapt on their bikes and cycled on, completing the 75 mile round trip back to Cambridge where an evening meal was provided for the gallant riders.

You can see more photos and read more about the ride on out next blog post.

CAF cheques and funds raised via JustGiving will support the only school nurse in the Limpopo Province of south Africa. TWT helps to keep girls in education, shows schoolchildren in the Waterberg how protect their environment and effectively reduces rhino poaching.

Information on how to make a monthly donation to The Waterberg Trust is detailed here.

If you are keen to sign up for next year, TWT has a form here.

Thanks to all who supported The Waterberg Trust Cycle Challenge 2024

May 13, 2024Charity fundraising event, Community projects, Nonprofit, The Waterberg Trust, Uncategorizedbicycle, bike, bikes, biking, charity cycle ride, Charity fundraising, charity fundraising bike ride, Charity fundraising event, Cycle challenge Cambridgeshire Hertfordshire Befdfordshire, cycling, Long distance riding, Travel, Waterberg Charity RideSophie Neville

A massive thank you to all who have donated to The Waterberg Trust so generously this year. It really is most appreciated. The Waterberg a small part of Africa where we really can make a big difference.

For anyone who hasn’t quite got around to making their donation yet, it’s easiest on the JustGiving site where +25% GiftAid is easy to add:

https://www.justgiving.com/waterbergtrust/donate

It was a beautiful May morning when around 60 riders gathered in Fen Ditton to take part in this year’s amazing 80-mile TWT charity cycle ride around Cambs, Herts and Beds. Riders made a sterling effort to overcome the dreaded Rail Replacement Bus service by staying locally or joining us from Royston.

After greetings and reunions of TWT ride old-timers over coffee and pastries, the cyclists set of in their groups heading south along the cycle ways of Cambridge, past Addenbrokes’ biomedical campus and out through the Shelfords in the cool of the early morning. Turning west at Duxford, we wound our way up the hills (yes there are some!) of South Cambridgeshire, past Chrishall and Chishill.

Barry acting as sweeper, collecting TWT ride signs, lost his group who had taken a scenic detour via Newton and Thriplow. But all was well as teams arrived for the now world-renown Franklin’s hand-made scotch eggs and flapjacks, heartily consumed with much needed drinks at Reed village hall.

From here we crossed the rolling North Hertfordshire countryside, with spectacular views dotted with chromium yellow rape fields, before heading north where all made it safely back over the A505 to Ashwell. Here we overlapped with a seemingly never ending stream of classic MG cars on a rally as we wound our way through the more pastoral Bedfordshire with a notable uptick in village greens hosting cricket matches, an idyllic English summer’s day!

And indeed the temperature was rising fast, it was baking by the time we made it to our amazing lunch stop and the welcoming hospitality of the Whitbread’s at Southill Park and much needed drinks and sustenance.

Boerewors in rolls with sautéed onions and Mrs Balls chutney gave a very Waterberg, South African touch to a delicious lunch with quiches, salads and lemon drizzle cake from Elaine Franklin.

Such was the enthusiasm of the riders that all but about a dozen decided to continue on the full 80-mile course. We had such an incredible range of cyclist from first comers, who had never cycled more than a couple of miles, to those using the day as a training for upcoming 300km rides. The way home was shorter but somehow didn’t feel it and a rest and tea & cake was enjoyed by many at Wimpole Hall NT cafe.

Coming back in to Cambridge along Grantchester meadows was somewhat tricky for us as half of Cambridge had decided that it was a beautiful warm sunny evening for a stroll! Many of the faster cyclists decided this would be a good time to stop for a beer, and bit by bit everyone made it back home, most to Fen Ditton where, after hot showers and cold beers, vast quantities of rice and chilli-con-carne and bean chilli were consumed to restore tired bodies: a perfect end to a very enjoyable day. Thanks also to Charles and John for great support. Thankfully, and surprisingly for so many riders, they were never called on!

For all those that sadly couldn’t make it this year, there’s always 2025!

Please do save the date: 10th May 2025, the Saturday after the May Day Bank Holiday.

All funds raised go direct to The Waterberg Trust who detail various ways you can make a donation on their website here.

TWT Cambs-Herts-Beds Cycle Ride 2024

April 13, 2024Charity fundraising event, Ending period poverty, Limpopo Province, Nonprofit, The Waterberg Trust, Trustees, Uncategorized, Waterberg, Youthbicycle, bike, Charity, Charity fundraising event, Cycle challenge Cambridgeshire Hertfordshire Befdfordshire, cycling, Fundraising, Long distance riding, sponsored cycle ride through Cambridgeshire, Sponsored ride, What to do in Cambridge May 2024Sophie Neville

Dear Friends, TWT supporters and fellow cyclists,

We are back and cycling again for The Waterberg Trust on Saturday 11^th May 2024. TWT continues its great work helping the people of the Waterberg, enabling all children to attend school regularly and to learn about their environment, the plants and animals, helping to improve their life opportunities and conserve their amazing ecosystem.

For this year’s ride we’ve decided again to stay local to Cambridge and offer something for everybody. The planned route takes the cycle-paths and by-ways of Cambs, Herts and Beds with an 80-mile, all tarmac, circular loop from Fen Ditton to Southill Park and back. Or a 45-mile option to end at Southill for lunch. All bike types are encouraged: electric, town, hybrid or road bike, whatever you have. We expect to be about fifty riders.

We all meet 8am at the Orme’s Fen Ditton, very close to Cambridge North for those coming by train.

After greetings with tea/coffee/croissant/pumps we head south down the cycleways though Cambridge, the Shelfords and up to the rolling hills, villages and back lanes of North Herts for our mid-morning stop. Refreshed we head west and descend to Ashwell before reaching Southill Park for some Whitbread family hospitality for lunch at their beautiful home. This is where the 45-mile route ends, 4 miles from Biggleswade station.

For the keener cyclist, we head North, skirt Sandy through Gamlingay and west for a tea stop at Wimpole Hall. From there we rejoin last year’s route at Barrington and via Grantchester take the cycle lanes of historic Cambridge along the river Cam to finish back in Fen Ditton for the riders and supporters after party chez Orme.

Please let us know if you’d like to join in, commit to the date and start training. And why not persuade your family and friends to come too, or organize a team? We’re hoping to better 2023’s amazing fund-raising total of over £10,000, so the more the merrier. Everyone should raise or donate at least £100 (£50 for the young). For those on the 45-mile trip we can help with returning you and your bike back to Fen Ditton.

barrington.burles@gmail.com williamorme@btinternet.com andrew.tusa@btinternet.com