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Alfold & Loxwood Parish Church: Cycling from Land’s End to John O’ Groats
Rev Greg Cushing and Richard Allan cycled from Lands Ends to John O’ Groats in 7 days to raise money for Alfold & Loxwood Parish Church
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Ayear ago, when confronted with COVIDinduced financial worries, plus the financial hits of taking on a new curate and a potential building reordering – I challenged the church family of Alfold & Loxwood Parish to think inventively about raising money for church.
I didn’t realise at that stage that the challenge would be thrown back in my face, “You think you’re pretty fit, Rev Greg,” taunted Richard Allan (a GB age grouped triathlete might I add!), “…why don’t we do a Lands End to John O’ Groats cycle – if a few donated £1 a mile that’s £1000!”
“Great idea,” I replied, thinking most certainly that this challenge was just conjecture and male bravado. But then it happened – somehow we completed it in 7 days from 12th-18th July 2021.
We’d set up a JustGiving page (which is still up and running by the way, see end of article), and alongside external donations we’re very near our goalposts of 10k. We’re incredibly grateful to over 90 donors, many of whom are not churchgoers, and especially thankful for slightly irreverent prayers to cope with sore bottoms. Jokes aside, I love that line “God gives the dignity of causality to our prayers,” and there were some incredible-providential-prayer-answered moments on our trip. Like the time my tyre blew with a shotgun-like sound in a small village in the middle of nowhere, and then lo and behold at just the right time a bloke pops up saying, “Hi chaps, are you OK? I run a bike shop 10 miles away and have my van just here…” – what were the chances!
Or there was the time on the A9 just north of Inverness when a black Transit van tried to overtake an articulated lorry right in front of us and lost control. Its back end swerved out and in that moment I wouldn’t have been surprised if behind the scenes an angel had held up the van to stop it from rolling into us. Suffice to say we’re thankful for an answered prayer. God is good. And finally, a huge, huge, thanks must be expressed to Ruth Allan our support vehicle driver who was integral to our completion. She never faltered and popped up with refreshments in places we hadn’t even planned on meeting her, just when we were wilting, like manna from heaven. We were probably burning 7/8000 calories a day, sitting for 10-12hrs a day on a bike, like cars guzzling fuel, eating whatever was on offer: doughnuts, Cornish pasties, Scottish meat pies, basically anything! The JustGiving page is still active and accepting donations for Alfold & Loxwood Parish Church. Thank you to all who have donated. www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ alflox-megacycle?utm_term=yVRge5bkD.
Two final thoughts: 1. They say despite being ‘uphill’, do Lands End to John O’ Groats rather than the other way around because you’ll get the prevailing winds assisting you. Sadly, this isn’t always true and we became firm friends with a constant headwind – God was certainly shaping our characters! 2. If you’re thinking of doing this, bear in mind when farmers do their muck spreading – from Lands End to John O’ Groats farmers seemed to be spreading in unison, which led to some fairly interesting smells! Blessings. Rev Greg Cushing
Left: Richard Allan and Rev Greg at the Lands End start Right: Rev Greg and Richard at John O’ Groats 7 days later
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Issue No. 129
10-year-old Dougie raises £1,300 for St Catherine’s in epic cycle ride
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