Dads to use pedal power to raise money for group

Dads to use pedal power to raise money for group

2 May 2012 - by Ciara Colhoun

SAUL dads are taking to the saddle this weekend in a show of support for their local pre-school.

Up to 15 eager fathers are preparing to undertake a 99 mile cycle on Sunday to raise much-needed funds for Saul Community Playgroup.

Children at the school are currently seeking sponsorship for the cycle, which will take in the Ards peninsula and swathes of Down District.

Among those training to take part in the ambitious cycle is Chris McLoughlin, whose son Finn attends the local pre-school.

He said parents are aware of the financial difficulties faced by the unit, which struggles to get by on skeleton funding.

Chris said the idea was first raised among a group of dads several months ago and has since snowballed with up to 15 now ready to take part in the full cycle.

Several other parents are also expected to take part in the final section of the cycle, while children from the school will meet the cyclists at the foot of Saul mountain at around 4pm to cycle alongside the dads on their home strait.

The sponsored cycle comes one year after Dennis Rooney, a granddad associated with the school and who was at the time billed the “pedalling pensioner”, raised over £1,000 by undertaking a 450-mile solo three-day cycle.

Chris said the much younger dads hoped they would be able to sail through the 99-mile event after the high precedent set by Dennis Rooney.

“If the pedalling pensioner can do it last year then we are hoping a younger bunch can do this,” he said.

“But we are taking on a mammoth challenge as we are all novice cyclists.”

Saul Playgroup leader Mrs. Margaret Tighiouart said the sponsored event was very much appreciated by staff of the unit, which she said was continually struggling to make ends meet.

“We are voluntary and do not get government funding apart from money for our funded places and this covers staff wages,” she said.

“We depend on fundraising for everything else and the money raised through this cycle will be used to add to our resources.

“We are particularly hoping to expand the outdoors area and to improve our indoors construction, science and maths resources.”

The sponsored cyclists are grateful to Micky and Margaret Keenan, from the Heights Bar in Ardglass, who are providing refreshments for them on their return.

Anyone who would like to sponsor them can do so through one of the cyclists Richard McGreevy at McGreevy Butchers Shop in Downpatrick.