From £400 to £9,236: Devon bikers go the extra mile for FORCE!
What started as an idea between two friends to ride their motorbikes around Devon and raise a few hundred pounds for FORCE Cancer Charity has turned into an incredible £9,236 fundraising achievement.
Mike O’Connor from Rackenford and Steve Childs from Witheridge both know first-hand the impact of a cancer diagnosis. Having received support from FORCE during their own treatment, the pair met through their shared experiences and found friendship and support in one another – laughing together and crying together along the way.
They decided to put their passion for motorbikes to good use and organise a charity ‘ride-out’ to raise awareness and funds for FORCE. Their original target was a modest £400.
What followed was far beyond anything they could have imagined.
On Sunday, July 19, around 50 motorcycles took to the roads for a 99-mile ride through Devon. Starting in Rackenford, the route took riders through Torrington, Holsworthy, Bideford and Barnstaple before finishing in South Molton.
The day began at Mike’s home, where family and friends pulled together to provide a breakfast feast for the hungry bikers. Bacon baps, homemade cakes and a tempting selection of sweet and savoury bakes, along with plenty of tea and coffee, helped fuel the riders before they set off.
The atmosphere was one of community, friendship and solidarity – with bikers, friends and families coming together to show their support for people living with cancer across Devon.
What began with hopes of raising £400 initially brought in an astonishing £6,400 following the ride, with donations continuing to arrive. The total has now reached an incredible £9,236 for FORCE – more than 23 times the original target.
Steve said: “Thank you to everyone who donated to this fundraiser and who rode with us. To all those who contributed their time and effort to make the day a complete success, it was beyond our expectation.
“Lastly, thank you to FORCE, a fantastic charity that helped me more than they will ever know.”
For Mike, the incredible response from the local community has inspired him to keep going.
“The support from our village, friends and family was incredible and I am completely blown away at how much we have raised,” he said.
“It has inspired me to do it again and continue helping FORCE support others in need.”
Ceri Bastyan, FORCE’s corporate and challenges fundraiser, was there to see the ride get under way.
“As fundraising officer, it is my responsibility to ensure fundraisers have everything they need so they can run their event safely and effectively, but Mikey and Steve organised it all with military precision,” she said.
“I just had the easy job of turning up on the day and seeing their vision come to life.
“I was very emotional when they all rode off through the village to start their 99-mile loop, knowing that all the months of planning had raised so much money for FORCE, but also that they could just enjoy the ride.”
The £9,236 raised by Mike, Steve and their incredible team of supporters will help FORCE continue providing practical, emotional and financial support to people affected by cancer and their families across Devon.
Ceri added: “This £9,236 will go some way to helping us support patients and their families throughout the whole of Devon.
“When people like Mikey and Steve need us, we want to be there to support them with things such as benefits advice, counselling, group peer support and complementary therapies.”
From two friends with an idea, to 50 motorcycles on the Devon roads and thousands of pounds raised, Mike and Steve’s ride-out is a brilliant example of what can happen when friendship, community spirit and a desire to give something back come together.
A huge thank you to Mike, Steve, their families and friends, every rider, everyone who helped make the day happen – and everyone who donated. £9,236 is an incredible achievement!
