Hearts and Minds Ride Together – Pedalling with Purpose - 19.07.2023
Hearts and Minds Ride Together 2023. Photo credit: Charlotte Graham.
ORGINALLY POSTED 19TH JULY 2023
The magnificent North York Moors provided the perfect backdrop for the inaugural Hearts and Minds charity cycle fundraiser.
The Hearts and Minds Ride Together, which took place on Saturday 15th July 2023, saw over 100 cyclists pedal with purpose to raise funds for the Tom Parson’s Trust, British Heart Foundation and North York Moors Trust.
The Tom Parson’s Trust was set up by his parents Sue and Nick Parsons in memory of their 22-year-old son who died suddenly while on holiday in Greece of myocarditis – an inflammation of the heart muscle.
Most people who experience myocarditis will recover fully and many will not even have symptoms, but the condition can cause sudden death in rare cases like Tom’s. The charity Myocarditis UK estimates one young person dies suddenly every week in the UK due to previously undiagnosed myocarditis.
The Tom Parson’s Trust and North York Moors Trust joined forces, with support from volunteers and staff from the British Heart Foundations and North York Moors National Park Authority, to raise funds for healthy hearts and minds.
The Tom Parson’s Trust raise funds to help pay for research into the condition that led to Tom’s sad death and provide defibrillators in their local community.
The North York Moors Trust will ringfence funds to help connect people with nature, and all the health and wellbeing benefits associated with being outdoors, through wellness walks, nature-focused art and culture workshops, or next year’s annual ride together.
James Metcalfe, Executive Director of North York Moors Trust, said:
“The ride together took cyclists through ancient woodland and sweeping heather moorland, past spectacular historic sites, and charming villages.
“The event was an opportunity to spend time together in nature and promote the all the benefits of doing so for mental and physical health and wellbeing.
“Funds raised for the North York Moors Trust will enable us to connect people and nature, protect our natural landscape and wildlife, enhance the health and wellbeing of communities, and provide young people with access to the National Park.”
Providing feedback after the ride together, cyclists said of the event: ‘exhilarating’, ‘awesome route’, ‘really really really enjoyable event’, ‘ready for moor!’, ‘tough’, ‘grateful for the sweeper’, and ‘friendly’.
