The first ‘Tonya’s Bike Ride’ took place in 2000. The Southwell Care Project had just been set up by a small group of parents concerned about the future for their children with learning disabilities when they, the parents, were no longer able to look after them. With no provision in the community, parents were concerned that their children would have to move away from the area. With very little in the way of funds, one of the Project’s clients, Tonya Hinds decided that she and her grandmother, Beryl, would have to do something about it. Together they set up a bike ride in the hope of raising £100. With about 30 riders they raised £1,000 and the die had been cast for an ongoing event. Since than there have been 5 bike rides each attracting about 30 riders and all raising up to £2,000 for the Project.

Now in 2007, due to her health, Tonya is unable to ride her bike and Beryl, not as young as she once was, feels she cannot organise another.

Enter Anna Joyce. Anna had, in 1995, founded the Viking Challenge, a 30 mile off road bike ride in the Vale of Belvoir. She had done so to generate an income for the school which her 5 children attended and which was under threat of closure. From a modest 98 cyclists in 1995 the event quickly grew to attract over 1,000 hardy participants and still does to this day, raising over £ 20,000 a year for the school and national charities annually.

Anna now lives in Southwell and when The Care Project approached her with a view to continuing and expanding Tonya’s Bike Ride she felt that, with their enthusiastic team already in place, she could contribute her experience and help to create an equally exciting complementary event in this area on the first weekend in June each year.

So the name ‘Tonya’s’ remains. Only the word ‘Challenge’ gives would be participants an idea that this will not necessarily be a ride in the park. Okay, the shorter distances remain and, for families and younger riders, they will be fantastic. However, new to the event are the 20 mile and the killer 37 mile options. Anna immediately recruited fanatical mountain biker, Simon Carr.

Simon has an immense knowledge of trails all around Nottinghamshire, many of them a closely guarded secret. He has designed 4 great routes for the event. The June event date will hopefully mean that riders are not bogged down in mud and fast times are achievable.

Anna and Simon’s experience will guarantee that this will be a professionally run event as good as any currently in the UK. Full support, refreshment stops and music (!) will be provided and an atmosphere like no other. This will be an annual event on the first Sunday in June each year. Be there for the first one in 2008!