The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Family take on big charity ride
Three generations of a Peterborough family are taking on a charity bike ride for the Royal Air Force in a bid to raise £500.
Chris Hodder, 47, station chaplain at RAF College Cranwell, will cycle 100 miles on June 11 this year to raise money for the RAF Association – a charity supporting over one million people who make up the RAF community.
He will be joined by his daughter, Emily Hodder, 13, and father-in-law, Geoff Fitzjohn, 69 – for a 25 mile stretch of his ride.
It is as part of an annual RAF fundraising event called RAFA Rides – which connects RAF personnel and supporters through cycling events across the world, which runs from June 10 to June 11.
“I wanted to raise money for an RAF charity, as I have seen up close what a great support they are to those in need,” Chris said.
“This is my second year doing RAFA Rides, and this year I will be tackling the longest route.
"I still consider myself to be a novice cyclist, but I really wanted to challenge myself this time."
The RAF Association has a 90-year history of supporting the RAF community and it has a membership of 68,000 people and over 300 branches worldwide.
Last year’s 2021 RAFA Rides event saw 800 participants across 20 different countries raise £125,000 for the RAF Association.
“Grandad and I are doing the 25-mile route, so not as far as dad, but I think it will still be a challenge for us both,” Emily said.
“I’m looking forward to going out with my grandad – I love going on cycle rides with him.
"We like going round the villages near where he lives. Sometimes when I talk a lot I wonder if he has purposely switched off his hearing aid."
Geoff added: “I’m really pleased to be able to support the RAF Association, and just delighted that my granddaughter wants to do it with me on the tandem.”