To wish them good luck on their journey, Helen Lee-Smith, Head of Individual Giving from Rainbows said: “Thank you so much to all of those taking part today, yet again the support from the Freemasons is essential to Rainbows Children’s Hospice”. Also there to wave them off was the Provincial Grand Master of Leicestershire & Rutland Freemasons, David Hagger who said: “We are all extremely proud of the work we do to support Rainbows and the Masonic Charitable Foundation, and thank all of those riders for raising such a fantastic amount today”

On the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures well in excess of 33 degrees Celsius, twenty cyclists including Freemasons, friends and family set off from Freemasons’ Hall Leicester early in the morning before the sun was at its strongest.  The route took the four groups out from Leicester and on towards Loughborough before heading through Shepshed and onto Derby in the first leg of the journey of over 33 miles.

The first stop was at the Masonic Hall in Derby, where tea, coffee, bacon sandwiches and much needed water were in abundance.  The break was very much appreciated as the day was beginning to warm up, however time was of the essence, and it was not long before the next leg out through Long Eaton and onto Nottingham.

By now the temperatures were soaring, but that did not stop the determined cyclists to battle the searing heat and traffic as they arrived at the Masonic Hall in Nottingham for a rest in the shade and to restock with supplies.

The afternoon sun meant that water stops were frequent, but with determination and hard work, the cyclists made their way from Nottingham back into Leicestershire, finally finishing at Freemasons’ Hall Leicester at around 6pm.