Event Outline
The
Liverpool-Chester-Liverpool Bike Ride is our longest running event,
even pre-dating the incorporation of Pennine Events! It was
established over twenty years ago on behalf of the old Merseyside
Strategic Health Authority and Liverpool City Council to encourage
people to take up active lifestyles. Pennine Events Director, Mark
Sandamas, and General Manager, Alison Marsh, were part of the
original organising team. Upon the formation of Pennine Events we
brought the event into our portfolio and are now the proud owners
of it.
The Liverpool-Chester-Liverpool Bike Ride is a
non-competitive mass participation cycle. In 2013 we reached a new
record entry figure of 3500.
The event has always remained consistent with
its origins in encouraging people to be active and to cycle
regularly. Over the years we have added various distance options -
this allows progression for many riders as well as allowing
suitable entry level points whatever the participant's fitness and
ambition.
We also
encourage participants to use their involvement as a way of raising
money for charity. We have one official charity, which has been
Claire House Children's Hospice for the last few years, and are
equally happy with riders raising money for causes close to their
hearts. We estimate around £35,000 is raised in this way each
year.
Key Features
The event is the only annual bike ride
in the country where riders spend 5 miles riding underground. We
have exclusive use of the famous Birkenhead (Queensway) Tunnel
offering a perfect traffic-free environment for the first and last
few miles (and the entire Family ride).
The event offers a variety of route
options:
- Liverpool Challenge 100miles - a lovely extension of the
original route into Delamare Forest and the surrounding area
- Liverpool Chester Liverpool 50miles - the original! A lovely
tour of the Wirral peninsula.
- Chester Challenge 50miles - for Chester-based riders this loops
around Delamare Forest and the surrounding area
- Liverpool Chester 25miles - for those who want to just ride one
way or do a shorter distance
- Chester Liverpool 25miles - likewise, but for those who wish to
start in Chester
- Wirral Circular 25miles - a shortened version of the tour
around the Wirral
- Tunnel Family Challenge 5miles - a traffic free underground
ride
The main start in Liverpool is in Old Haymarket, by
the entrance to the Birkenhead (Queensway) Tunnel.
The Chester
start is at the Countess of Chester Health Park (also the main feed
station and cycle show site).
The event
regularly features in the regional media.
The rider profile encompasses a cross
section of the community with a varying range of experience, from
first time event riders to regular cyclists.
The event is
suitable for all ages and abilities due to the range of routes,
with the traffic-free tunnel ride allowing young children to take
part.
There is live entertainment at the Chester site, featuring
smoothie-bikes, circus skills, and comedy commentators along with
information displays. There is also a smaller show at the Liverpool
finish site.
Event
Report / Testimonials
For the last few years,
Paralympian Rik Waddon has supported the Liverpool Chester Bike
Ride and taken part with both the media coverage before the event,
especially at the launch and came down to the event on the day and
did some of the ride.
For the
20th anniversary year we awarded participants with
medals when they finished, a great token and piece of memorabilia
for those involved.
"Probably the best organised & attended event in its 20
year history"
Mersey Tunnel Police, 2013
"Great fun day, Tunnel experience brill! Look forward to it
every year. Great challenge."
Participant, 2012
Media / Promotion
We develop and implement the promotional campaign internally. We
utilise many promotional channels including:
- Event website (www.liverpoolchesterliverpool.co.uk)
- E-shots to our database of 25,000 and to the Claire House
database of 17,000
- Event Facebook page
- Twitter
- Radio interviews
- Online marketing on cycling websites
- Regional newspaper stories including the Metro
The event figurehead is Paralympic Silver Medal winning cyclist
Rik Waddon, who is also a vice-patron of Claire House Children's
Hospice. Rik takes part in several pre-event promotional activities
including a training tips video. He has also taken part in the
event on the day in the past.