Dear supporter,

Sign up for the Big Ride for Palestine

Our first fifty riders have signed up, which is brilliant after just one week, but we only have four weeks to go. Please SIGN UP as early as you can, as it helps us know where small Big Solidarity Rides could happen, or where there is a need for a ride leader or ride designer. In London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh, we already know there is huge interest in getting large numbers out, especially on Saturday 1 August, and we have people willing to design and lead rides. We want Big Rides for Palestine all around the UK, with major turn-outs in the bigger cities, so please contact us if you could design or lead a Big Ride near you.  

We also already have 23 riders signed up for the 440-mile Big Ride Challenge, and are expecting teams of two to six to sign up for the Challenge, as well as individual riders. It can be a great activity to take on with others. This Update will focus on the 36/44-mile Big Solidarity Ride, as this is attracting greater numbers, and a greater number of less experienced cyclists, who want to show their solidarity by signing up for The Big Ride. Many wish to join a local ride that is led. We will cover the 440-mile Big Ride Challenge in more detail in the next Update.
 
Those of us who’ve ridden one or more Big Rides for Palestine before are the best promoters of the event. You know the feel-good factor that comes from standing up for Palestine, and from participating in an act of solidarity. Encourage your friends and members of your family to SIGN UP. It will be very different this year, but the need is even greater. Let your friends and family know that you’re doing The Big Ride for Palestine this year, and why. You can refer people to our WEBSITE and we will be producing an e-leaflet next week that you can circulate to your contacts. 
 
Routes

We will be publishing more information on routes in a couple of weeks, with routes being tested out as we write. A popular idea is to have several groups of up to six riders cycling the same route, say in Manchester. You could stagger your start times so that a new group of six riders sets off every 15 - 20 minutes from the same starting point. This will maximise our impact, as there becomes a steady stream of riders passing through different neighbourhoods. Another idea has been to incorporate a loop into a 'circular ride’ so that riders go through a particularly supportive neighbourhood twice.
 
We will be developing some useful links to route sources and creation in our FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS on the Big Ride website. The FAQs will include a list of links to sites that provide information on routes and rides around the UK and/or that help you to design a route yourself. One of our Big Riders is a ride leader for British Cycling and recommends CycleStreets: UK-wide Cycle Journey Planner.

Check out our FAQs for other sites, such as BIKEMAP,  GOOGLEMAPS, RIDEWITHGPS, KOMOOT, STRAVA and ROUTES.CC. We will also offer some handy tips for safer cycling.

We are using the fitness and exercise tracking app and website, STRAVA, to set up Big Ride Clubs for each of the two events, for you and us to keep track of your mileage and see how other riders are doing. You will register for the Solidarity Ride or the Challenge, or both, using our SIMPLE ONLINE FORM, and then, using Strava, you can join TBR SOLIDARITY RIDE STRAVA CLUB or THE BIG RIDE STRAVA CHALLENGE CLUB. Strava is optional, of course, but is a good way of keeping track of everyone's mileage.

 We will put those wanting to join a led ride in contact with the route leader. We’re waiting to hear from more route planners and leaders so that we can let you know what your options are and where your nearest led ride is.
 

Sign up part 2

Remember you don’t have to do all 36 or 44 miles of the Big Solidarity Ride in one day, and that certainly applies to the 440-mile Big Ride Challenge! If there isn’t a Big Ride suitable or close enough to you, do the 36 or 44 miles over several days, or do several loops of a shorter distance ride that you’re familiar with on one day or several days. There’s the potential benefit of being noticed the fifth time you come round, especially if you are wearing one of our Big Ride jerseys - they certainly do tend to get noticed first time though!
 
Fund-raising

We organise the Big Ride for Palestine to raise awareness of the situation in Palestine, and also to raise funds for the humanitarian work of the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA). You’ll be aware that we have raised over £170,000 over the five years since we started the Big Ride in 2015. Dr Mona El Farra, the director of MECA in Gaza, has ridden and spoken at four of the five Big Rides. She would have attended all five if she hadn’t been refused a visa to leave Gaza several times in 2017. It’s brilliant to have this personal connection with Dr Mona, a truly outstanding woman. This year she has asked The Big Ride to raise funds for the construction of a secure playground for Khuza’a Village in Gaza. You can donate on our WEBSITE or go direct to our Big Ride 2020 Just Giving page HERE.  
 
Weekly updates

We will be producing a weekly Update through to 1 August. If you have any particular queries, please send them to info@thebigride4palestine.com. You might have a query that will be useful for everyone to hear the answer in the update.
 
And a couple of things…….please don’t forget to SIGN UP! And please visit our SHOP to look at our new jerseys and t-shirts.

[Many thanks to Jess Hurd/reportdigital.co.uk for letting us use her great image taken from this weekend's demo in Altab Ali Park, LB Tower Hamlets]