Stout Riders benefit Jane’s Fund and Macmillan Cancer Support

Sharelle Henderson can’t believe her luck in
winning the first prize of a TREK Mountain Bike.

Mike Tomlinson thanks everyone for their efforts,

while Mike Holt, Bob Drake and Cliff Barton

hold the cheque for £40,000

Harold Turner takes the Individual Challenge

Trophy again from Mike Tomlinson, while

Cliff Barton looks on.

John Whitaker accepts the Pub

Challenge Shield for the sixth

year in succession, since his father,

Malcolm, took over as landlord.

Gaby Schwabline receives the

Team Challenge Trophy on

behalf of Practice-makes-Perfect

Ye Olde Oak Inn, Low Laithe near Pateley Bridge was the venue for the Presentation Night for the 16th annual Great Milk (stout) Ride, when Leeds fundraiser Mike Tomlinson accepted a cheque for £40,000, on behalf of Jane’s Fund; this will help them achieve their target of two million pounds by the end of the year.

The evening began with chairman Mike Holt’s moving tribute to the late Patrick Bickers of Glasshouses, a founding committee member, who died of cancer on October 3rd. He said that he was a true friend, who had toiled tirelessly alongside his colleagues to help raise over £371, 220 for Macmillan since 1993 and he would be sadly missed by all. Then, on behalf of the committee and everyone associated with the Great Milk (stout) Ride, he welcomed Patrick’s eldest son Luke, who has recently joined the committee to carry on his father’s role of registration officer.

Mike Tomlinson was then invited to present the trophies to the leading fundraisers in the following categories:
The Rob Smith Memorial Team Challenge Trophy, for any non-pub team was won again by Practice-Makes-Perfect, alias the Nidderdale Group Practice, from Feastfield Surgery, Pateley Bridge, Grange Medical Centre, Dacre Banks and Spring Gables Surgery, Birstwith, with a winning total of £1825.
The Pub Challenge Shield was won for the seventh time in the last eight years, by the team from the Crown Hotel Middlesmoor with a total of £1526.
The Fancy Dress Trophy was won this year by the Kirkburton “Ladies”, who could also be seen making fine adjustments to the marquee on the day of the ride.
The Rob Smith Memorial Trophy for the Individual Challenge was again won by Harold Turner of Rothwell, near Leeds, with a total of £4001. Harold has completed every ride since 1994 and has won the trophy every year, but one since then. He has raised over £60,000 during this time.

Mike Tomlinson was kept fully employed, assisting with drawing the raffle, where the first prize of a TREK Mountain Bike was won by committee member, Sharelle Henderson; great fun was had at her expense, as she organized the tombola and raffle!

Next came the climax of the evening and the year, when Chairman Mike Holt and Treasurer Bob Drake handed over the cheque for £40,000 to Mike Tomlinson, who thanked everyone involved in the organisation and those taking part in another GMsR. He promised that he would ensure that the money raised would be paid on to Macmillan in the very near future.


The excellent DVD, made by Nobody Films of Harrogate, of this year’s Great Milk (stout) Ride, was premiered at this annual event celebrating the conclusion to this year’s efforts supporting Macmillan and over 30 copies were sold on the night. For a sneak preview visit http://www.gmsr.co.uk/ and click on the Nobody Films logo.

Copies are still available for purchase at a cost of £9.00 (inc p&p), from GMsR c/o Thimble Cottage, Dacre Banks, Harrogate. HG3 4EL. Cheques should be made payable to “The Great Milk (stout) Ride”. Allow 14 days; all profits go to Macmillan.

New Sponsor for GMsR ensures vital water supply for riders

Yorkshire Water will be supplying riders with 500ml sports type bottles after the ride as well as providing water for the drinks stops around the routes.

Yorkshire Water manage the collection, treatment and distribution of water, supplying around 1.24 billion litres of drinking water each day - that's the equivalent of a glass of water for every person on the planet!
They also collect, treat and dispose of about one billion litres of waste water safely back into the environment each day.
Through their grid system they operate more than 700 water and sewage treatment works and 120 reservoirs. They operate 40,000 miles of water and sewerage mains - enough pipework to circulate the earth! Many of these pipes were constructed back in the 19th century and are still in use today. Their job is to maintain these in good working order and continually improve them for future generations to protect public health, the environment and public water supply.

Boost to Great Milk (stout) Ride from local charitable trust

A last minute donation from one of the regular sponsors of the Great milk (stout) Ride, has greatly increased the chances of another record year for this annual Harrogate area event. On Monday 10th November the organising committee was informed that the Cheridan Raithby Charitable Trust had decided to double its annual donation to £3,000.

Pub (‘hic) Relations spokesman for the Ride, Cliff Barton said “it was a good job that I was sitting down when news of the decision was telephoned to me, as I was completely overwhelmed at such amazing generosity”.

The Cheridan Raithby Trust has been a long time supporter the Ride since the early days, quietly making donations. Cheridan Raithby lived and worked in Harrogate for many years and died early in this century. During the 1990s she won the National Lottery and whilst alive set up a charitable trust, The Harrogate Charitable Trust, to support local charities in and around the Harrogate area, focusing on smaller, rather than larger organisations. Upon her death her entire estate was left in trust and renamed the Cheridan Raithby Charitable Trust. Since then it has continued to support local charities in the same way.
Meanwhile, this year’s Presentation Night, when top fundraisers receive their trophies from riders Leeds fundraiser Mike Tomlinson, before he receives the results of this year’s efforts by everyone in the form of a big cheque to the Macmillan Segment of Jane’s Appeal, is scheduled to take place, tonight, at Ye Olde Oak Inn, Low Laithe near Pateley Bridge starting at 8pm.

The excellent DVD, made by Nobody Films of Harrogate, of this year’s Great Milk (stout) Ride, will be premiered at this annual event celebrating the conclusion to this year’s efforts supporting Macmillan. For a sneak preview visit www.gmsr.co.uk and click on the Nobody Films logo.

Copies will be available for purchase at a cost of £8.00 on the night and £9.00 (inc p&p), from GMsR c/o Thimble Cottage, Dacre Banks, Harrogate. HG3 4EL. Cheques should be made payable to “The Great Milk (stout) Ride”. Allow 28 days; all profits go to Macmillan. To reserve copies for collection on 14th, ring 01423-780389 and leave details.

Money has been pouring in from riders and sponsors in this year’s event. Late moneys can still be paid in at the last minute, at Ye Olde Oak Inn, Low Laithe, on the night .

2009 Great Milk (stout) Ride date set

The organising committee are pleased to announce that the date for next year’s 17th annual Great milk (stout) Ride, in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, has been set to take place on Sunday 6th September 2009 at the Nidderdale Show Ground, Pateley Bridge, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

On-line registration for next year is not yet up and running, but there will be an announcement shortly as to when this facility will be available.

Meanwhile, this year’s Presentation Night, when top fundraisers receive their trophies from riders Leeds fundraiser Mike Tomlinson, before he receives the results of this year’s efforts by everyone in the form of a big cheque to the Macmillan Segment of Jane’s Appeal, is scheduled to take place at Ye Olde Oak Inn, Low Laithe near Pateley Bridge, on Friday 14th November starting at 8pm.

The excellent DVD, made by Nobody Films of Harrogate, of this year’s Great Milk (stout) Ride, will be premiered at this annual event celebrating the conclusion to this year’s efforts supporting Macmillan. For a sneak preview visit www.gmsr.co.uk and click on the Nobody Films logo.

Copies will be available for purchase at a cost of £8.00 on the night and £9.00 (inc p&p), from GMsR c/o Thimble Cottage, Dacre Banks, Harrogate. HG3 4EL. Cheques should be made payable to “The Great Milk (stout) Ride”. Allow 28 days; all profits go to Macmillan. To reserve copies for collection on 14th, ring 01423-780389 and leave details.

Money is still coming in from riders and sponsors in this year’s event, but to make this yet another record year all sponsorship moneys, together with Gift Aid Forms should be returned ideally before 14th November to Hon Treasurer, Great Milk (stout) Ride, Tranby Croft, Glasshouses, Harrogate. HG3 5QY. However, late moneys can be paid in at the last minute on the night.

Stout Ride DVD to be premiered 14th November

An excellent DVD, made by Nobody Films of Harrogate, of this year’s Great Milk (stout) Ride, will be premiered on Friday 14th November, at Ye Olde Oak Inn, Low Laithe, Nr Pateley Bridge, from 8.00pm onwards, as part of the annual Presentation Night’s conclusion to this year’s efforts supporting Macmillan.

The colourfully boxed disc includes three separate films: “Main Feature” in which the makers have entirely captured spirit of this annual event in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, from the gentle start, through the build up of registration and the excitement of the starts to scenes on the two routes, then on to the finishing line where every rider collects a winner’s medal and a commemorative certificate. “Finish Line”, where riders and spectators are in constant movement, as individuals and teams come in to collect their medals. There is an extra surprise in “1993 Video” which shows amateur footage of the 29 riders, who set off from the Birchtree Inn, Wilsill, little imagining that their original Great Milk (stout) Race, which raised £1350, would last year yield £42,500 and total over £350,000 by 2008. For a sneak preview visit www.gmsr.co.uk and click on the Nobody Films logo.

Copies will be available for purchase at a cost of £8.00 on the night and £9.00 (inc p&p), from GMsR c/o Thimble Cottage, Dacre Banks, Harrogate. HG3 4EL. Cheques should be made payable to “The Great Milk (stout) Ride”. Allow 28 days; all profits go to Macmillan. To reserve copies for collection on 14th, ring 01423-780389 and leave details.

Leeds fundraiser Mike Tomlinson, who, with son Steven, again took part in this year’s event, will be presenting trophies to the individual and team riders, who have raised most for Macmillan this year, together with the fancy Dress trophy, before he receives the results of this year’s efforts by everyone in the form of a big cheque to the Macmillan Segment of Jane’s Appeal.

NB To make this yet another record year all sponsorship moneys, together with Gift Aid Forms should be returned by 7th November to Hon Treasurer, Great Milk (stout) Ride, Tranby Croft, Glasshouses, Harrogate. HG3 5QY.