Cyclists light up Harrogate streets to raise funds in memory of founder

Fifteen cyclists took to the streets of Harrogate in festive style in memory of one of the group’s founders.

Members of Bertie Bikers toured the streets of Harrogate, calling into pubs to collect donations for the British Heart Foundation.

The event was held in memory of group founder Andy Sample, who died unexpectedly earlier this year after suffering a heart attack.

Co-founder Mark Madeley said:

“He was larger than life, a real character who liked a beer and liked a laugh.

“He used to come away if we went on trips. We hadn’t seem him for a while because of covid and things, but we thought he was OK.

“We were all incredibly shocked.”

Mr Sample, who was a grandfather and worked at Bettys and Taylors, helped to set up the group almost two decades ago. As a customer of Prospect Building Supplies in Starbeck, he met employees Mark Gilbert and Gary Johnson.

Mr Madeley, who is Mr Gilbert’s brother-in-law, said the trio began discussing ways of keeping fit as they headed into their 40s, and a cycling group was set up by all four of them.

It has met every Thursday since to tour parts of Harrogate and Knaresborough, often ending at Bertie’s on Knaresborough Road. More friends and colleagues have been added to the numbers over the years.

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The annual Christmas ride began a few years ago, complete with costumes and decorated bikes, but has never been used to raise money – until now.

More than £750 has been raised already, with donations still rolling in, and Mr Madeley said the group is planning to use the Christmas ride as a fundraiser every year from now on:

“We had loads of cars parping their horns, people walking were waving and cheering, and even cars with windows winding down and the children waving at our Santas.

“We’ve talked about doing it for charity for a number of years. This year, it spurred us into action and in future we’re going to nominate a local charity to support each year.”

To donate to the British Heart Foundation in Mr Sample’s memory, click here. To find out more about Bertie Bikers, click here to email Mr Madeley.

Harrogate district businesses asked to add their details to defibrillator register

Harrogate district businesses and other organisations are being encouraged to provide details of defibrillator units on their premises.

The Defibs-Ripon Group, working closely with Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) has been at the forefront of installing and raising awareness about the location of defibrillators in the city, but is keen to make the Harrogate district aware of a wider initiative.

Group member Alec Lutton told the Stray Ferret:

“The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has created an online log in site called The Circuit, which provides locations throughout Britain of defibrillators that can be accessed 24/7 by emergency services.

Now, the BHF is looking to expand this, by registering the whereabouts of every defibrillator by including location details for all of the life-saving devices.

Mr Lutton added:

“This will be achieved by including the business names and postcodes for those ‘restricted access’ units on the premises of shops, leisure and hospitality, other businesses and organisations, where the devices are only available for use during working or opening hours.”

“Our contacts at YAS have asked us to encourage all those with such units to support this important initiative.

“There are currently 23 defibrillators in Ripon and the surrounding area that can be accessed 24 hours a day and, as a group, we would also like to add onto our locations list,  the  names and postcodes of Ripon-based businesses and organisations, where there is restricted access.”

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Helping a heart attack victim

A heart attack or cardiac arrest could happen to anyone of any age at any time, day or night and the following advice is offered by defibrillator providers, if an incident arises: