Freemasons saddle up for charity ride
A group of 45 freemasons inspired by this summer’s Tour de France will be getting on their bikes to cycle 280 miles for charity this bank holiday weekend. Included in the team are Freemasons Ken Bearpark from Brighouse and Steve Wade from Halifax, who has been in training for this gruelling challenge for the last four months.
The Provincial Perimeter Pedal will start on August 23 at Tapton Hall in Sheffield and head north to High Bentham, across to Ripon and then South through Goole returning to Sheffield on August 25.
It is a gruelling route with the cyclists climbing 7,000 feet on the first day, around 8,500 feet on the second, with a less arduous challenge on the last day.
The route will take in 24 masonic halls on the way, where the cyclists will be greeted and served refreshments.
They are scheduled to start arriving at Holmfirth Masonic Hall from approximately 9.50am on Saturday, August 23, before cycling on to the next one on the perimeter at Uppermill.
The sponsorship money raised by the cyclists, from other Freemasons, will go towards the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Festival which was launched in 2012 and runs for five years.
It has raised more than £1m to date.
Mr Bearpark said: “Freemasonry very much revolves
‘Freemasonry very much revolves around charity’
around charity, so to combine a challenge like this with helping to raise money for good causes has helped us all to attract a significant amount of sponsorship, which will certainly inspire us as we tackle the route.”