Houlton goes the extra mile for charity cycle challenge
Rugby’s new neighbourhood has gone the extra mile to raise over £4,000 for The Myton Hospices by taking on the Houlton School Velo Cycle Challenge.
The 18 strong team made up of cyclists from the development’s master developer Urban&Civic, Houlton School’s main contractor Morgan Sindall and members of the community, mounted their bikes to take on the 50-mile ride last week.
After setting off from the construction site of the new secondary school, the mammoth challenge began with a scenic route through the growing neighbourhood, which will eventually be home to a network of cycleways and footpaths when complete.
The course then took the team down the new 1.6mile cycle path along Houlton Way link road, into Rugby and around the town’s surrounding countryside, before crossing the finish line back at Houlton.
All money raised from the cyclists’ impressive achievement will be donated to the charity’s three local hospices located in Rugby, Warwick and Coventry, which provide comfortable and compassionate end of life care for residents in the area – and was selected by the residents of Houlton as their preferred charity.
Johanne Thomas, Communications, Communities and Partnerships for Urban&Civic, said: “It is fantastic to have raised such a significant amount of money for The Myton Hospices, an organisation which provides invaluable care for members of our community when it is needed most.
“We are dedicated to working closely with our partners and residents of Houlton to help make a difference to the wider town and a variety of local causes. A strong sense of community is something we pride ourselves on at Houlton, and the past months have demonstrated just how important community is to us all.
“Despite the Velo ride being a tough challenge, it was brilliant to be able to come together with the team at Morgan Sindall and raise money for The Myton Hospices while making the most of Houlton’s beautiful outdoor spaces and the surrounding areas,” she added.
Work on the transformation of the former Rugby Radio Station Grade II-listed building into the new secondary school, which is being delivered by Morgan Sindall, is forging ahead despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Located in the heart of the new Rugby community, Houlton School will welcome its first intake of Year 7 pupils in September 2021 and will eventually provide over 1,200 school places with six classes per year, plus a sixth form.
Darren Eaton, Area Commercial Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the Midlands said: “Ensuring our teams deliver more than just physical buildings is a key commitment to the communities we work in. The Houlton School Velo has helped us to raise over £4,000 for Myton Hospices – a charity very close to our hearts. We were honoured to take part in this charitable ride with Urban &Civic and hope the donation can make a small difference to support the amazing work of everyone at the hospices.”
