Charity cycle sportive raises more than £10,500

Frankie’s Fish & Chips manager John Gold this week handed over a large cheque to the Fishermen’s Mission after the successful Charity Cycle Sportive.

A total of £10,525,89 was raised in sponsorship and donations for the event, held on Sunday 31st August.

Mr Gold presented the funds to Alan Gifford, chairman of the Shetland advisory committee to the mission.

Also present were Total engineers Robin Howard and Michael Jones, who were members of a nine-strong team from the Shetland Gas Plant which raised £750 – a figure matched by the company to give a total of £1,500.

A record 56 cyclists took part in the fourth annual charity cycle. Thirty completed the 40-mile ride – two times around a lap from Brae to Voe, up Dales Voe and back round to Brae – with Colin Smith of Shetland Wheelers first home.

Eleven did the 20-mile ride – one lap of the same course – with Jim Nicolson leading the group over the line, while 15-year-old James Holt was the first of the 15 riders in the 10-mile ride from Brae to Voe and back.

Mr Gold said: “We are delighted so many cyclists turned out and so many sponsors gave so generously. Thanks also to Blydoit Fish and our local suppliers for donating food for the participants.

“Since our first one in 2011, the event has raised more than £10,000 for the Fishermen’s Mission. Amazingly, we’ve succeeded in doubling that total in one year.

“The mission is such an important cause here in Shetland and we are always glad to support them.”

Other large donations came from Petrofac (£1,000) and Morrison Construction (£1,000).

The 2015 Frankie’s Charity Cycle Sportive will be held on the last Sunday in August.