Nightrider Richard raises hundreds in solo cycle event
TEAMWORK is usually the key to Richard Raymond’s fundraising for East Cheshire Hospice.
As co-founder of the charity’s Christmas tree collection, he plays a pivotal role in a large-scale operation which has so far raised more than £1m.
But his latest fundraising challenge was a single-handed effort as he undertook a 50km night ride through Merseyside.
Richard, from Macclesfield, raised more than £400 from Nightrider 2019 which began at Pier Head and took him through the Mersey Tunnel which was closed to traffic for the event.
Richard said: “I come from Chester originally and had wanted to follow a cycle trail around the Wirral so as an occasional social cyclist couldn’t resist the opportunity.
“My wave of cyclists set off at 11.10pm when the city centre streets were packed with people partying. When I returned at around 2.30pm they were still out there enjoying themselves!
“I noticed the hospice had got spare places in the event and this was my chance to do a bit of personal fundraising for this fantastic local charity.”
Even during the height of summer, collecting Christmas trees is never far from the thoughts of Richard and the scheme’s co-founder Pete Chapman.
The 2019 collection raised £136,000 net which meant it broke the £1m mark overall for hospice fundraising.
Richard said: “It’s our 20th anniversary in 2020 so we’re already thinking about marketing and promotion around that theme.
“It’s a major challenge but one we enjoy immensely, especially as we have such a dedicated team of volunteers and generous donors.
“Once again we’ll be relying on the spirit and enthusiasm of our supporters next year.”