For many supporters, the first game of pre-season is the first opportunity in more than two months to get back into that Saturday routine but for a group of Hinckley AFC fans, this weekend’s game against Heather St John’s will be quite different.
Ahead of the club’s first game of pre-season in the Simon Blyth Memorial Cup at St John’s Park, five supporters will be using the journey from Hinckley to Heather for a charity bike ride.
Marek Portland, Richard Shirley, Paul Griffin, Richard Harvey and Jamie Harvey will all be jumping on their bikes and riding up to St John’s Park as the build up to 2017-18 steps up a gear.
As a postman of nearly two decades, Marek is used to getting on his bike but this time he says it will be for a more special cause – raising funds in memory of Simon for Cancer Research UK.
“I’ve always enjoyed cycling. I have cycled from my house to Heather on few occasions and have always found it pleasant. I used to text Simon whenever I’d done it and he always used to say I was mad.
“Simon’s passing has left a big hole in my life, as well as the lives of everyone who knew him. So as soon as I saw the club would be naming our annual friendly against Heather in his memory, Richard Shirley and I had the idea of a doing a charity bike ride: from Hinckley to Heather and back.”
The group will be departing for the 12-mile trip to St John’s Park from The Milestone, on Stoke Road, at midday and Marek is inviting others to join them on their pedal up the A447.
He says all participants need to wear a helmet on the journey, but welcomes anyone who wants to raise money in Simon’s memory. To join in, contact the club on social media or get in touch with Marek directly.
“It’s £15 to enter. That money includes admission to the game and hopefully a player sponsorship in Simon’s name this season. We’ll also be stopping off at The Rising Sun in Shackerstone for a quick drink on the way.
“That refreshment will be vital. It’s only five miles after the stop at Shackerstone but it’s all uphill so it’s the toughest part of the ride.”
He hopes the group will arrive at Heather just after 2pm, in plenty of time to watch a host of familiar faces from Hinckley football’s past and present take to the pitch against AFC’s landlords.
Once they arrive at the ground, Heather are also doing their bit to join in, contributing to the fund going to Cancer Research UK through a matchday raffle.
“Heather have been fantastic and are really supporting us with what we’re aiming to do. On top of donating the proceeds of the matchday raffle to Cancer Research, they’re also going to provide us with drinks on arrival.
“I’d like to express a huge thanks to Karen and her bar staff at St John’s Park. The drinks will be a huge help and they’ll be great hosts as always.”
Marek will be updating on the group’s progress to and from the ground by using #Hinckley2Heather on Twitter and hopes that after he and his fellow supporters have jumped on their bikes for charity, AFC will be leaving everyone else in their slipstream this coming season.
