Half way to Nello fundraising target
We’re up to £40,000 raised from this year’s Nello ride that’s half way towards our target for this year’s event.
We encourage all our amazing cyclists to get their sponsorship to us by the end of July when we can truly celebrate another incredible achievement by our biking benefactors.
This year marked the 17th Nello century cycle challenge in aid of FORCE with around 1,150 people taking part.
They took on either a 55 mile or 100 mile route through beautiful Devon – and a tiny bit of Somerset countryside, starting and finishing at Topsham Rugby Club.
The event, sponsored by Bike Shed, was established in memory of Topsham restaurateur, Nello Ghezzo, who passed away from cancer in 1999.
The 100-mile route was one of Nello’s favourite rides as he and Marc Millon trained for a Topsham to Venice challenge in 1997.
Marc went on to found The Nello and has ridden in every event, again completing 100 miles on a tandem with wife Kim this year.
Sarah Daniels, Head of Fundraising at FORCE, said: “The Nello bike ride is the most important event we organise at the charity. It brings together so many different people from across our community and wider afield across the UK we even get some overseas entrants!
“The atmosphere is brilliant and that is because we are all here for a common cause. Everybody wants to raise money to support somebody they know who has been affected by cancer patients, carers, family and friends. Our cyclists understand how important it is to raise money so that we can continue to provide unique face-to-face support here in Exeter, in Tiverton, in Okehampton and hopefully further afield by the end of the year.
“We need around 100 volunteers to support on the course marshalling, serving breakfast, at the refreshment stops and with the preparation days before and the clean up afterwards. A real team effort is put in and that is why it is so successful. FORCE is grateful to everybody who is involved.
“The day of the ride was amazing. Everybody came with a smile; set off and completed their challenge and went off knowing they had a great day all in the name of charity.
“The 17th Nello bike ride was most definitely one of the best. The atmosphere was so friendly, relaxed and happy it was superb.”
We have had some wonderful comments about this year’s ride and this is just one we’d like to share:
“I wanted to say a massive thank you for organising yesterday, and to your amazing volunteer support. I have counselling at FORCE and already think it’s a brilliant place but yesterday blew me away. The level of organisation and the spirit of the volunteers was amazing. It was my first ride and we’re already looking forward to next year, I’m still buzzing from it now! Friends, family and colleagues who have for the last two years asked my family ‘what can we do to help?’ have stepped up with donations, they’ve been very generous and your event has given them a means to feel like they’re doing something to help. Many thanks.”
If you’d like to sign up for The Nello 2017 go to http://www.active.com/exeter-devon/cycling/the-nello-2017
