Join Cranleigh Cycling Club for charity Reliability Ride

The ride is in memory of Finlay Marriott.

Chris Marriott was a founder member of Cranleigh Cycling Club. His 9-year old son, Finlay Marriott, tragically died in January 2014, from a rare and inoperable form of brain tumour, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). Through Finlay’s Fighters, the group that Chris and his wife, Jude, set up in Finlay’s honour, over £100,000 has so far been raised to fund research, care and treatment via the DIPG charity Abbie’s Army and The Royal Marsden Children’s Unit.

Although DIPG is, in Finlay’s doctor’s words “the worst possible tumour in the worst possible place”, it gets less attention than it should as only 40 children each year are diagnosed in the UK. As a consequence, research into effective treatment is desperately under funded. There is currently no hope for children with DIPG; the typical life expectancy from diagnosis is just 12 months.

Finlay’s Fighters has done a huge amount over the past year to raise money and help make a difference. With your help we can continue to do so. All money raised, after expenses, will be donated to Finlay’s Fighters.

The event will venture into the beautiful Sussex countryside with a choice of two rides:

The Shoreham Shuffle - from Cranleigh Band Room to the restaurant at Shoreham airfield and back (approx. 70 miles)

The Petworth Pootle – from Cranleigh Band room to the Bay Tree Bakery in Petworth and back (approx 37 miles).

Both rides will be followed by tea, coffee and cakes back at the Band Room in Cranleigh.

Reliability rides follow a suggested route only and riders can ride solo or in groups. Route maps are available to download on the club site but riders don’t have to follow them – they can make up your own route, which may be shorter or longer.

The club has factored a one-hour stop at each destination for refreshment (self-funded) and rest. There are no course markers or marshalls en route, and each rider is responsible for getting themselves and their bike back to the finish (so pack plenty of inner tubes, water and energy bars!).

Riders will gather at The Band Room from 8.30am on the day for a pre-ride socialise and cuppa. Start times will be staggered according to the approximate time each rider believes they will need to complete their chosen distance, with the first riders setting off at 9am.

Registration is just £5 per rider.

For more information and to register for the event please visit http://cranleighcyclingclub.com/

Report contributed by Cranleigh Cycling Club.