THE doom and gloom of the credit crunch was forgotten in the autumn sunshine as a bumper number of cyclists set off for this year’s annual ride in aid of Greenwich and Bexley Cottage Hospice.
Fundraising manager Howard King said they had feared the economic crisis might affect fundraising this year, but the hospice hopes to raise more than £40,000 from Sunday’s event.
Nearly 800 riders set off from starting points in Erith, Woolwich and Greenwich, to cycle a 12 or 24-mile route along the Thames Path.
Bexley mayor Councillor Nick O’Hare and Greenwich’s mayor and deputy mayor, councillors Steve Offord and Allan MacCarthy, were all at one of the starting points to wish the riders well.
Mr King said: “The glorious weather must have encouraged people because we had 100 riders register on the day.”
He put the increase in participants partly down to the growing interest in cycling.
Mr King added: “It is also nice to see more families taking part.”
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