Dear Parish Organiser
DORSET HISTORIC CHURCHES SPONSORED CYCLE RIDE
SATURDAY 11th SEPTEMBER 2010
Welcome to the 2010 Sponsored Cycle Ride in aid of the Dorset Historic Churches Trust and of course your own church! The 2009 Ride was yet another great success due entirely to your enthusiasm in promoting the Ride for your Parish.
Thank you very much indeed for agreeing to be your Parish's Organiser for the Cycle Ride this year. This letter, together with its enclosures, is being prepared during March and so I hope the details I hold on record are correct. If, however, you are no longer the Parish Organiser, please pass this to the current Parish Organiser, particularly if there has been a recent change. These packs are distributed to Deanery Representatives and invitees at the Morshead Trophy presentation in the middle of April, which should result in you receiving all your documentation well in time. Approximately thirty packs are distributed through Royal Mail. Any changes in contact details should be sent to me as soon as possible quoting your parish name and the reference number, which appears on your address label.
I have set out the various tasks on a separate coloured sheet, which I hope you will find helpful.
Please encourage sponsors to complete the Gift Aid details, which increases their contribution by 25p in the pound. However, the full name and postcode are absolutely vital to claim this money! If you need more copies please contact me, or if possible photocopy at local level. All Parish Organiser paperwork (except the posters and stickers) can be downloaded from the website ...
www.dorsethistoricchurchestrust.co.uk
PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO PUT YOUR NAME AND TELEPHONE NUMBER ON THE POSTERS!
You will note that we have a new Treasurer, Mrs Liz Ashmead. Bob Allan has been a very enthusiastic supporter of both the DHCT and the Cycle Ride. He continues as a member of the Executive Committee, but has relinquished the honorary treasurer role to Liz. Please ensure you send your sponsorship money to her - all details are on the paperwork.
There are a number of ways of recruiting participants in the Cycle Ride, but it is important to remember that not everyone CAN cycle or indeed possesses a bike! These people can, however, help with the manning of the church on the day or sponsor someone who is taking part.
I think it is important to emphasise that although many people take part in this event, it is very much up to an individual how much he or she decides to put into it. There are groups which travel miles and miles and visit twenty or thirty churches. There are also people like me who only manage four churches in the whole day!
o If you are in a town, you could organise a walk to churches which are close
to each other. Dorchester offers six churches and Blandford, Bridport and
Wareham all have at least three churches within a reasonable area. There is
no minimum number of churches which have to be visited.
o In rural areas, suggest a local group (Youth Club, School, Village Hall)
have an organised ride and include a picnic on the way.
o Very often people who have used the church for a wedding or christening
are keen to contribute to the Cycle Ride in some way.
o Find a cyclist in your locality and enlist their help to find more people
who could be willing to participate.
As usual, I will write to all Parish Magazine Editors at beginning of June, but can you try to ensure that something about the Cycle Ride goes into the July, August and/or September editions. This will help you recruit help as well as publicise the event.
If you have very keen participants, you might like to mention the element of competitiveness which has become part of the proceedings. If anyone keeps a record of numbers of churches/chapels or miles ridden, let me know and I will use it in post-event publicity.
The Cycle Ride continues to be very popular and successful and is a primary source of income for the Dorset Historic Churches Trust as well as nationally. The Trust rarely rejects a request for help and your church may well have already benefited from a grant or loan. We must ensure our beautiful churches continue to be maintained and with your help, they will. It is assumed that churches which have received help will be open on the day of the Ride!
Finally, thank you very much indeed for your help in organising this event for your parish
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need anything in relation to the Cycle Ride. Good luck with your parish and once again, very many thanks.
Yours sincerely