Kerry’s relief after completion of annual charity ride in and around Graveley near Stevenage!

Nurse Kerry Duggan from Graveley has been organising charity rides for 12 years, collecting tens of thousands of pounds along the way for various worthy groups – with this year’s beneficiary the Letchworth-based Garden House Hospice Care.

Kerry started the rides when she was just 16 with a few friends and it has grown year-on-year to include more than 140 people on Sunday’s ride which started and finished at the George and Dragon pub in Graveley.

She said: “It was a really enjoyable, upbeat event. The feedback I’ve had from many people has been great. The oldest person who took part was 76 and the youngest was my 16 month daughter Lyla who was in a trailer with my partner Danny Golds.

“We’ve been busy totting up the money raised and as of Wednesday we’ve already collected £5,600 – with much more to come hopefully.

“A big thank you to sponsors Walton Homes, Standon Electrical, and Edd’s Bikes of Stevenage, as well as the George and Dragon, all who took part, and the race marshals. It took me four months of organising and my first feeling when I got off the bike was one of relief.”

Musician Max Taylor, from Pin Green in Stevenage, was one of the riders who took part – through a chance encounter with Kerry.

Max, 26, happened to be on a bike ride earlier this summer and chanced across Kerry’s local the George and Dragon. He decided to pop in for some rehydration and got talking bikes with Kerry who told Max to sign up to her ride – which he duly did.

He said: “I’d like to thank my brother Jed Taylor and friend Dave Overton for joining me on the trip. It was a good laugh and a lot of cash has been raised for a very good cause.

“Well done to Kerry for managing to pull everything together and create a wonderful day for so many people.”