Paris to Hayling Charity Cycle Ride celebrates 40th anniversary with founder Pete McQuade taking to the saddle again
“I had no helmet, no lycra and no idea”
In July a group of 90 cyclists will be embarking from Portsmouth as they set their sights on eight days of cycling in France in what has become a long-held yearly tradition.
Pete McQuade founded the charity ride in 1986, deciding to go on a solo ride from Paris to Hayling Island to raise money for Cot Death Research. As the years went on more and more people joined him with Pete never missing the event.
Looking back on that first journey into the unknown 40 years ago, Pete said: “If it wasn’t for the fact that someone told a local paper of my rather rash decision I would probably have backed out, I really didn’t know what I was doing and I couldn’t ask anyone because there was no one to ask. People didn’t do things like that then.”
It was long before the cycling boom that has taken place in the UK over more recent years with Pete reflecting that in the first year he “had no helmet, no lycra and no clue”. While charity cycles are more common today, it was “unusual” back then with Pete believing the event is the longest running multi-day charity cyclathon in the UK and possibly the world.
Over its 40 year history, thousands of people have taken part in the event and nearly £2 million has been raised for over 500 different charities. For many, taking part in the cycle ride has had a profound affect on their lives including the creation of lifelong friendships as well as some people meeting their future partners.
Pete said: “I could summon up 50 people who have said it has changed their lives. It is the fun, the sense of achievement and we have also raised a chunk of money.”
This year, they will be leaving for Paris on July 4 with a number of stops on the way to take in the sights, including at Versailles, before they return to Hayling Island on July 11.
While Pete continues to take part in the challenge, he has handed over the management of the event to a committee headed up by Sarah Jeffries who are as “highly capable and as passionate about the event as me”.
Pete received an MBE in 2016 for his charity cycling endeavours and has written a book on the Paris to Hayling cycle ride called Raw Hides and Sore Heads.
More information on the Paris to Hayling Charity Cycle Ride can be found at https://haylingcycleride.org.uk/