In 2015 over 200 riders took part in the Big Ride from Edinburgh to London raising over £65,000 for the Middle Eastern Children’s Alliance. A second ride is taking place this year.  The ride aims to raise awareness and solidarity for the people of Palestine by focusing on the UK arms trade with Israel.

Building on last year’s highly successful event, this year, four rides, start out on Saturday 6th August from London, Bristol, Manchester,  or Sheffield  converging in Birmingham on Sunday 7th August for a public event in Sparkhill Park. On Monday morning  a convoy of cyclists and supporters will head en-masse to Shenstone, near Lichfield, where UAV Engines,  owned by the Israel’s largest arms company Elbit Systems, is based.

The North West ride will leave from Whitworth Park in Manchester at 11.00am on Saturday morning,  following a send-off with speakers from PSC, the Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT), and local politicians, starting at 10.00am. Supporters are encouraged to come along to the send-off. The North West ride will pass through Macclesfield and Congleton before stopping at Stoke-on-Trent for Saturday night. On the Sunday the ride will continue down to Birmingham via Stafford and Wolverhampton. Between towns the ride will follow quiet lanes and SUSTRANs cycle routes down to Birmingham.

More information including details of how to register is available from the event website www.redspokes.co.uk/thebigride . If you are interested in joining the ride or would like to help build the event, please contact Owen Cooper : owencooper215@gmail.com who is the coordinator for the North West ride. The next planning meeting for the ride is at 7pm on Wed 18th May at the Red Lion Pub, 532 Wilmslow Road, Withington M20 4BT. As part of preparation for the ride a series of short practice rides are being organised.