Friends of Essex Churches Trust

Ride & Stride

This national event was started by the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust and Essex joined it in 1983. Nowadays over 30 counties take part on the second Saturday each September from 10.00 – 6.00.   The best part is that you can choose your own itinerary, visiting the places that you want, because there is no set route. As it is a national event, churches will be taking part in our neighbouring counties if you need to cross boundaries.  (See their websites in our Links section)  

Everyone can join in and everyone does.  Participants are sponsored for the number of places of worship they visit in the day, and people are very imaginative: one family sailed to the churches on the banks of the River Blackwater; every year a group from Chadwell Heath raises money on their exercise bikes; whilst a Brentwood choir quartet, known as the Song Cycle, sings a motet in every church they visit.   You can also be sponsored for stewarding your local church and welcoming riders and striders.

The annual sponsored Ride & Stride is the main fund-raiser for the FECT. Half of the money raised goes to the church or chapel of your choice, and the other half is credited to the FECT grants fund.  Ride & Stride Day is a special Open Day for churches throughout Essex and East London: it is a wonderful way to visit churches which might otherwise be closed and the event usually coincides with Heritage Open Days. 

Our two riders were pleased to visit Silver End, St Francis, which is a 17th century barn, converted and consecrated in 1929.

Our vicar cycled round the local churches in Thurrock, while I walked round the City of London churches, havens in a noisy bustling city.

While stewarding I thought I would start reading the Bible and see how far I got, only nine chapters of Genesis, just as Noah was about to die aged 920! Will continue this idea next year and get sponsored per chapter!

2008 RIDE & STRIDE, Saturday, 13th September