THE youth football and youth cricket academy clubs of Holsworthy held a sponsored bike ride on Saturday, October 7, in aid of the Holsworthy Sports Pavilion project.

Starting in Bideford, the younger children completed a ten-mile track along the Tarka Trail and the older children continued to Holsworthy completing 25 miles. They finished at the pavilion, which is currently under construction.

This event was something the children came up with themselves as they ‘wanted to do their part for the project’, which will eventually see the pavilion become a home for both clubs. The clubs are hoping to raise around £1,500 as a contribution towards the project.

All the children started off on the Bideford Tarka Trail, which took them through to Yarde Orchard. This is where the three youngest cyclists, aged seven and eight, ended their journey. The remaining cyclists carried on through Shebbear, ending up at the pavilion in Stanhope Park.

The Holsworthy Area Sports Pavilion (HASP) committee expressed its thanks to the Devil’s Stone Inn at Shebbear for letting the team stop for a break and use its facilities, Thornbury Holiday Park and Pidz Signs. Thanks were also expressed to the adult riders — Adam Chidley, Lyndon Piper, Tim Sleeman, Travis Leveson and Peter Smithies and Mark Sleep, Steve and Jane Ivey — who were driving the support vehicles for the ride and worked hard to keep all the riders safe.

To support this project, vote through the Aviva Community Fund, which opened on Tuesday, October 24.