Hello everyone

Lots of exciting news in this Newsletter – all related to the Mince Pie Rides on Sunday 11th December and the White Horse Cycle Challenge running for the two weeks leading up to that:

THE WHITE HORSE CYCLE CHALLENGE 2022

We challenge individual riders to climb the great Uffington White Horse Hill at a time of their choosing between Saturday 26th November and Saturday 10th December (on their own or in a group), take a selfie or photo at the top for proof, get extra respect for taking their own mince pie up there and raise money for Whizz-Kids. Our target is to see 100 riders complete the challenge and to raise £2,000 for Whizz-Kidz. The fortnight kicks off with a club 2* ride to the Hill on Saturday 26th November.

We have set up a donations page here:

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/whitehorsecyclechallenge2022

and would welcome donations to support the efforts of all riders, whether from riders themselves, their family or friends.

The event is open to all to who enjoy a cycling challenge. To help non‑regular or non-local cyclists give it a go, we have put together a route sheet from Grove and Wantage to White Horse Hill and back. It can be found here (as Route 8):

www.cyclingukwantage.org.uk/routesheets

We ask participants to post their photos on the club Facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/cyclingukwantage

or to send by email to: info@cyclingukwantage.org.uk

This address can also be used for enquiries about the event.

THE MINCE PIE RIDES – SUNDAY 11th DECEMBER

As with the Challenge, we are raising money for Whizz-Kidz and people are encouraged to donate via the Just Giving page highlighted above (we will take cash on the day as well). 

Guests and other cycling clubs are very welcome to join us at Wantage Market Place from 9.30 for the start of the club rides or join us at White Horse Hill NT car park (grid ref SU 293866) from 11.00 to 12.00 for mince pies and mulled wine. We will have road rides at 1*, 2* and 3* grades and an off-road ride – see separate ride entries on our website (www.cyclingukwantage.org.uk) for route details. This is a very popular event, so please arrive in good time for registration. Afterwards there will be rides led to The Fox at Denchworth for a pub lunch for those who have booked (see below). There will also be a ride directly back to Wantage/Grove.

As in previous years we will be reliant on the Club members to provide donations of mince pies, mulled wine, standard red wine or cranberry based juice beforehand, so we can maximise the giving to Whizz-Kidz. For those of you who are new, we brew up cauldrons of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic mulled wine, based on my wife Carin’s secret recipes, and serve it from ex-military insulated jerry cans – it is awesome! Please give this some thought in your cooking and/or shopping schedules and drop supplies in to our porch (contact me for details).

LUNCH AT THE FOX – SUNDAY 11th DECEMBER

We are pleased to offer a pub lunch at the Fox at Denchworth after the rides – we have a confirmed block booking for 1pm with a maximum of 25 so it will be ‘first come, first served’. Di Whidborne has very kindly agreed to be the contact point for this. Could you therefore make it a priority to let her know BY SATURDAY 5th DECEMBER if you would like to join us for that? Also – the Fox has a fixed Christmas menu and they have asked us to choose menu options ahead of time. The menu is attached – please let Di know your choices, also by SATURDAY 5th DECEMBER. Contact me for details.

We also need to ask for a deposit from those who book. Could you please send £10 per person to the club bank account (with your name and ‘Fox’ in the description):

Sort code: 20-90-91
Account number: 23556050

I think that’s all for now.

Happy cycling!

John