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Ride and Stride 2021 Saturday 11th September Ride and Stride is the main fundraising event to help preserve churches and chapels, and keep them active in our communities. We have in Northamptonshire some of England’s finest examples of church and ecclesiastical architecture and art, covering well over 900 years of Christian worship. Northamptonshire Historic Churches Trust (NHCT) supports those who accept the great challenge and responsibility of caring for these beautiful buildings. We all have a duty to ensure that those who come after us can continue to enjoy them in the centuries to come.

Ride and Stride is a sponsored event for cyclists, joggers, walkers and horse riders; participants seek sponsorship from family and friends then plan a route visiting churches, where they will often find a warm welcome and refreshments. For serious cyclists it is not the refreshments but the thrill of the chase ‘30 churches visited and over 50 miles cycled - a brilliant day out!’ Others prefer a more leisurely approach, visiting fewer churches and taking more time at each. It all raises money to support the work of the Trust.

The NHCT keeps its admin costs to a minimum; all the work is undertaken by volunteers. Money raised helps the NHCT to continue supporting our marvellous churches across the county with essential repairs and improvements. Ride and Stride is an opportunity to raise money not only for the Trust, but also for your own church, as half the money raised goes back to the church nominated by the rider or strider.

In recent years the NHCT has made total grants to Northamptonshire churches of the order of £50,000 a year; this has really helped churches to make significant improvements to the fabric of their buildings with repairs as well as making the best use of churches for today’s needs with installation of heating, lighting and facilities. Churches in Aldwincle, Barnwell, Cranford, Pytchley, Stoke Doyle and Woodford have all received grants recently from the NHCT for repairs to their buildings.

So, look on your church noticeboard and visit the website for information on churches open, then find your maps - choose a route to suit your group - and set out across Northamptonshire’s welcoming landscape to visit our historic churches. You can walk or cycle as little or as far as you like. Just find family and friends to sponsor you and have a great day. This year there are over 300 churches open across the county most offering a warm welcome. The Grand Total for 2020 was £45,621 including Gift Aid.

Northamptonshire Historic Churches Trust Registered Charity No 1021632 www.nhct.org.uk