The Big Bike Ride crosses the finish line
We did it! At 6.00 pm on Monday 4 April Bishop David arrived on the steps of Belfast Cathedral having cycled into every parish in the diocese with the Bishop’s Big Bike Ride.
The cycle highlighted the work of Bishops’ Appeal, the Church of Ireland’s own World Aid and Development Programme and is the focus of the Down and Dromore Lent Appeal for 2022.
The Bishop’s Big Bike Ride set out from Holywood Parish Church on Monday 7 March and over 6 (non–consecutive) days Bishop David and the Revd Colin Darling (Bishops’ Appeal Rep for the diocese) made 83 stops.
Other clergy and parishioners hopped on their bikes and joined the ride for sections of the route, including the Dean of Dromore, the Very Revd Geoff Wilson, who completed 5 days and 61 stops but couldn’t continue because of changes to the schedule.
The bishop and Colin were greeted by supporters in every parish and kept going by multiple cups of tea and biscuits. They covered roughly 350 miles cycling through North Down and Ards, South Down, Newry and Mourne and, on the last day, Belfast and Castlereagh.
Bishop David hadn’t been on a bike for 35 years and had just recovered from Covid–19 when the ride began so he was grateful for a little electric power to his wheels, especially in the drumlins of County Down.
Down and Dromore Lent Appeal
The Down and Dromore Lent Appeal 2022 is supporting two projects in partnership with Bishops’ Appeal, one in Honduras through Christian Aid and the other in Jordan through Tearfund.
The Christian Aid project is in Honduras, working with their local partner organisation in eight communities that are particularly vulnerable to climate change. The Tearfund project is in Jordan, helping mobilise the Anglican church there to work amongst Jordan’s poorest communities.
Parishes in the diocese are supporting the appeal, particularly in the season leading up to Easter, and the cycling team received many cheque donations along the route.
Bishops’ Appeal also responds to disasters and emergencies and recently sent €20,000 to Habitat for Humanity and Christian Aid for their humanitarian responses in Ukraine.
Cycle helmets off to every one of our riders for a magnificent achievement!
Find out more here about how to give.
Visit our Gallery for lots of photos from each of the days.