Photos from the 2024 Founders Relay Rally

As our Secretary, Andy Grew, is off sunning himself somewhere in Europe, it falls to me to do this report. The weather forecast was not great, so I had decided not to ride this year, but as I was the key holder for the Okeford Fitzpaine Recreation Ground pavilion, I had to get down there for 9:15am to let our team of volunteers in.

Chris Biddiscombe deserves special mention as he manned the stand the whole time our checkpoint was open, 9:30am to 4:30pm. He was assisted throughout the day by Andrew Rae, Linda & Ray Dickinson, Simon Barker, Linda & Andy Sharpe, David & Tom Johnson-Newell and Lee & Mandy Bastin.

Report by Ray Dickinson follows with a little more detail:

We set up the event in the village hall attached to the recreation ground at Okeford Fitzpaine, which was ideal facilities for the checkpoint that Paul Wirdnam had arranged. Many thanks to Chris Biddiscombe who stayed all day and brought along the essential tea, coffee and snacks. Andrew Rae Linda and myself arrived at 9am and stared till 11.00 helping setting up and signing on. When Simon Barker, Lyn & Andy Sharpe took over. After lunch David & Tom Johnson-Newell, with Lee & Mandy Bastin helped man the check point. Many thanks to all those involved.
We had 29 riders sign on and raised £50.00 which will go towards a donation for Dorset Air Ambulance.
It was good to meet up with people from other sections. The day started wet but by lunchtime the roads dried and the sun came out!
A Good day out, kind regards Ray & Linda.

Where our 29 visitors came from is shown below. We did well to get 29; many other Sections mentioned on the VMCC Facebook page on how few visitors they had at their respective checkpoints, most below 10, with many blaming the poor weather. For the second year running, the Pennine Section had no visitors 🙁

Dorset Section	10
West Wilts Section	2
Bournemouth & New Forest Section	8
Somerset Section	4
South Dorset Section	1
Stonehenge Section	2
East Devon Section	1
Hants Section	1

Finally, and before the photos, I’d like to thank Chris Biddiscombe for doing an excellent job of leaving the pavilion clean and tidy. He even hoovered the floors after the two Under 8’s football teams had trampled across the floors in their muddy football boots to get to the changing rooms. 🙂