The Prostate Cancer Charity London Tour Ride

Saturday 19 Sept 2009

Daley Thompson, Michelle Heaton and Damian Lewis amongst host of celebrities and charity fundraisers at The Prostate Cancer Charity London Tour Ride

A host of celebrities, pro riders and charity fundraisers got on their bikes in central London last Saturday to pedal The Prostate Cancer Charity London Tour Ride which followed the exact route of the final leg of The Tour of Britain.

Thousands of spectators lined the banks of The Thames as people from all over the country came to the Capital on two wheels in support of ‘Unite ByCycling', the Charity's fundraising initiative that has already raised more than £150,000.

Led by a host of well-known faces, the ride took off at 10am as participants rode two laps of the official London leg of this afternoon's Tour of Britain final race, where the 2009 champion will be crowned. The girls led the way including Ex Liberty X singer Michelle Heaton, model Emma B, and Miss England Rachel Christie, quickly followed by Damian Lewis and The Bill's Ben Richards. Also taking part were Olympians Jeanette Kwakye and Daley Thompson, Eastenders legend Rudolf Walker, and former Charlton Athletic striker turned pundit Mark Bright.

Quotes from spokespeople

Michelle Heaton said: "So much is done for women's cancer charities. I am more than happy to be the flag flyer for prostate cancer and do something for the boys and put the disease on the map."

Emma B added: "Cycling an iconic London route for such a great cause proved to be a truly unique experience and a fantastic day!"

Ben Richards said: "The Prostate Cancer Charity London Tour Ride was a fantastic event with a really positive family atmosphere. We all really enjoyed ourselves along the route and have hopefully done our bit to help the Charity to fight this disease, which affects 35,000 men each year in the UK. I will definitely be along next year and I'll make sure to bring some of my fellow Sun Hill coppers along."

Nicholas Bailey, who played Dr Truman in Eastenders, was reunited with his on-screen Dad Rudolph Walker in the race. He said: "It was great to have a family reunion with my surrogate Dad, Rudolph. It brought back a lot of memories. I know Rudolph is a big supporter of the Charity and a big inspiration to me, so I just
wanted to do what I can to raise awareness of this important issue.

"The ride was a lot of fun, the weather held out and there was a really good family atmosphere. I have never seen so many charity T-shirts at one event. There is a lot of support out there for The Prostate Cancer Charity.

"As a black man, I also wanted to raise awareness of African Caribbean men's increased risk of developing the disease. The black community can be averse to facing up to this disease even when they have symptoms. I want all men to know what the signs and symptoms are and take control of their health."

John Neate, Chief Executive of The Prostate Cancer Charity, said: "John Neate, Chief Executive of The Prostate Cancer Charity, said: "The London Tour Ride was an amazing success, which really captured the essence of Unite by Cycling. We were supported by a host of celebrities from the worlds of sport, film and TV, including Damian Lewis, Michelle Heaton and Mark Bright. The crowds came out in force to get on their bikes and create a lively carnival atmosphere, whilst raising awareness of prostate cancer.

"I would like to give a huge thanks to everyone who took part, including all of our riders and the friends and families who turned out to cheer them on.

"It was an incredible first year for the partnership between the the Charity and the Tour of Britain and we are already looking forward to many future years to come."

Hugh Roberts, CEO, The Tour of Britain: "The Prostate Cancer Charity London Tour Ride was a great way to kick off our grand finale in London. We had an excellent turnout from riders and I certainly enjoyed riding alongside them in the stunning weather conditions on a beatitful circuit that took in some of Londion's iconic landmarks. We certainly did not complete the ride at the same speed as the professionals during stage 8 of The Tour of Britain, but nevertheless, it was a fantastic event which we look forward to building upon with our partners, The Prostate Cancer Charity."

 

More Info:

The Prostate Cancer Charity is a proud partner of The Tour of Britain and this forms part of a new initiative ‘Unite ByCycling', which has been set up to raise awareness of prostate cancer and support for men and their families affected by the disease. For more details and announcements visit www.unitebycycling.org.uk