Winchester Family Cycle Ride with the South Downs National Park team
The City Council’s sixth Winchester Criterium and CycleFest will kick off proceedings on Sunday 10 June with the ever-popular
family ride, in partnership with the South Downs National Park.
This year, the theme of the family ride will be ‘Share the Space’ with activities focussing on the South Down National Park’s countryside as well as promoting local commitment to active travel.
Abbey Gardens will be hub of the event and is also the starting point for the family ride which, due to increased demand, has been extended by fifteen minutes. Participants will set off on the Criterium route at 9.45am before the main races begin at 11.00am.
Amanda Ford, Head of Sport and Physical Activity at Winchester City Council said:
We are really pleased to continue our partnership with the South Downs National Park team, helping to promote the outstanding open spaces available in the area as well as encouraging more families to consider active transport, which is not only good for personal health and wellbeing, but also for the environment.
The family ride offers the chance for families to experience a first class Criterium race course whilst taking in the sights and sounds of our historic city centre. We would encourage participants to register for their places early, to ensure they don’t miss this fantastic opportunity.
South Down National Park’s Cycling Projects Officer Alister Linton-Crook added
We are delighted to be back supporting the event this year. We actively encourage everyone to responsibly share the space in the National Park and feel that this is a great message to advocate when cycling on the highway too.
Our new events van and a host of family activities will be in Abbey Gardens including a ‘Riveropoly’ water vole game, badge-making and face painting. Share the Space participants will also receive a South Downs National Park memento after completing the traffic and pedestrian free ride around the city streets.
Also helping at the event and supporting the Family Ride will be a host of local volunteer cycle ambassadors for the National Park, as well as knowledgeable South Downs staff and Rangers who will be based in the hub.
Registration for the family ride is now open and FREE to all. Places for the whole family can be reserved at the Criterium’s website: www.winchestercriterium.org/family-cycle-ride/
For more information or to speak to the team visit www.winchestercriterium.org or email info@winchestercriterium.org