City charities join forces for Land’s End to Liverpool bike ride to tackle poverty

Workers from two anti-poverty charities are joining forces for a Land’s End to Liverpool bike ride this month in a bid to tackle poverty in the city.

Rich Jones from St Andrew’s Community Network and Lee Collins from Micah Liverpool will travel to the Cornwall headland on Bank holiday Monday, August 25, before setting off on the gruelling 400-mile challenge the next day.

The pair plan to pedal around 100 miles every day, stopping in Plymouth, Burnham-on-Sea and Ludlow, before heading back to Liverpool on Friday, August 29.

And, with just 25 miles before the finish line, the two will make a stop in Delamere Forest where they will meet colleagues from both organisations who’ll join them for the final stretch, aiming to reach Liverpool Cathedral at around 8pm to be cheered on by family and friends.

The goal is to raise much-needed donations for both charities, who have a combined 32 years of experience working towards social justice and tackling poverty throughout Liverpool and beyond.

Rich, 41, St Andrew’s CEO, says:

“This challenge is motivated by a personal conviction that no one should face poverty alone. For me, this isn’t just about the miles on the road, it’s about standing alongside the people who walk much harder journeys every day. 

“We’ve learned that when you take on challenges together, you discover strength you didn’t know you had and hope you didn’t think was possible.”

Rich and Lee are no strangers to challenges, having completed a Westminster to Walton Bike Ride last year when both were working for St Andrew’s. 

Rich goes on:

“When we rode together last year, we realised the power that exists within the Liverpool community – that grit is important, but grace carries you further. 

“This ride will be tough, of course, but every hill climbed is a reminder of the bigger climb so many families are facing right now. We’re hoping to raise enough to make a real difference – not just in meeting urgent need, but in building something more lasting: dignity, stability, and the chance for people to thrive. That’s what keeps us pedalling.”

Lee, from Broadgreen, adds:

“Doing something like this together as two local charities also feels symbolic.  I’m really passionate about working together cooperatively to look to address some of the issues that our local communities face.

“We have to look out for each other, not just when we’re cycling together through unreliable British weather and down dark country roads, but also in our day-to-day work with, and alongside, others in our communities.

“In all of the work that we do we always look to bring people together for positive reasons so we’re hoping that this challenge will also help to do that.”

Need for the charities’ work remains high, with thousands of people supported by the organisations every single year. 

Together in 2023-24, the two charities provided more than 25,000 emergency food parcels to households and families in crisis, gave debt and welfare benefits advice to hundreds of people facing financial hardship, and supported those struggling with unemployment into work or further education, as they tackled the root causes of poverty and helped people move towards stability.

Fundraising challenges like the Land’s End to Liverpool Bike Ride are vital to charities like the Network and Micah, with need for their services increasing – but available funding becoming more difficult to secure. 

Catherine Kearney, CEO at Micah, says:

“The scale of social injustices in the UK requires people to join together in order to challenge them and the high levels of poverty experienced by so many.

“It is becoming increasingly difficult to secure unrestricted funding for work that has sadly become essential, and the bike ride will be a great testament to Rich and Lee’s commitment to supporting charities that are working to make people’s lives a little better. 

“Each mile cycled and every £1 donated makes a difference and offers hope to many.”

Charlotte Moorcroft, development lead at St Andrew’s Community Network, echoes her statement and believes that working alongside Micah spreads a powerful message of togetherness in the fight against poverty in Liverpool:

“We’re both working towards the same goal and want to relieve poverty for everyone facing hardship across Liverpool. 

“As we know from first-hand experience, so many people are struggling financially and find themselves at crisis point, and our services are a lifeline for them. 

“Teaming up for the Land’s End to Liverpool Cycle is an exciting opportunity to spread our message even further and work together in the fight against poverty. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a genuine difference and helps us move towards our goal of ending poverty in the city.”

Find out more about the challenge, keep up to date with Rich and Lee’s progress and donate to support them on their journey on their JustGiving page here.

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