Cycle Ride raises over £2,600 for Formby Befriending Scheme

A mammoth bike ride by local solicitor Liz Foggin and her husband Matt has raised over £2,600 for the Formby Befriending Scheme. They both took part in the annual Deloitte Ride Across Britain, which involved cycling 980 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats in just 9 days, averaging 108 miles per day.

Liz, who runs Autumn Years Law in Formby, says “It was hard. Really hard, but WOW what an absolutely amazing experience.” She adds: “I hadn’t appreciated before-hand that participating in the event wasn’t just about cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats. It was actually about being a part of something bigger - a unique collection of 1,000 other like-minded individuals, all of us with the same common goal. It felt like we were part of a tribe beating a drum (or perhaps heaving heartbeats) as we collectively cycled up the country.”

The “tribe” consisted of 860 cyclists and a support crew of 170. Liz says that the organisers had thought of every last little detail and that they provided fantastic encouragement and support. Overall, she said, the camaraderie and experience was incredible. “Between the 860 riders we have collectively raised over a million pounds for various charities. Some people have supported big charities, some people have picked incredibly personal ones. We chose a small local one, the Formby Befriending Scheme.”

Liz adds “On the ride you could talk to anybody and ask ‘how was your day’ and we all had something in common. Essentially, we are all social creatures at heart and the work of the Formby Befriending Scheme aims to facilitate just that by reducing social isolation for elderly people.”

“It’s immensely heart-warming to know that what we have raised will help them continue to help improve the quality of life for local residents in their advancing years. We also want to say a big thank you to all of the people who have sponsored us.”

If anyone wants feels that they would also like to contribute to their fundraising efforts their donation page is still open and can be found at: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=LizFoggin1&pageUrl=1