Memorial cycle ride marks 50th anniversary with remarkable fundraising achievement

More than £200,000 has been raised by 60 dedicated cyclists who undertook an incredible 350-mile challenge in memory of 18 loved ones.

With the Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club’s 50th Anniversary Memorial Cycle Ride taking place last year, the organisers are delighted to announce that the final amount raised is an extraordinary £203,143.59.

The funds were split between Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club (£121,800), supporting a capital project to mark the club’s centenary year, and St Nicholas Hospice Care (£81,200), helping to ensure vital support for those facing dying, death, and grief across West Suffolk and Thetford.

One of the organisers, Austin Cornish said: “I’d like to thank Malcom Leith for his support in organising the event, the 60 riders, the volunteers, the sponsors and everyone for making it a truly special event to remember the 18 who tragically lost their lives in 1974.

“The event was amazing to be involved with and to raise £203,000 for Bury Rugby Club and St Nicholas Hospice Care is an incredible sum but testament to the reason we were all involved.”

The six-day cycle ride, held from September 10–15, 2024, commemorated the 18 local people connected to the rugby club who were among the 346 lives lost on the ill-fated Turkish Airlines DC-10 flight that crashed on March 3, 1974.

The tragedy left a permanent mark on the town, with 10 local women widowed and 19 children left fatherless.

Among those participating in the 350-mile ride from the memorial site in Ermenonville Forest near Paris back to Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club were eight children and four grandchildren of those who tragically died in the crash. The group cycled between 60km and 150km each day.

Linda McEnhill, St Nicholas Hospice Care’s Chief Executive Officer, said “We are deeply grateful for the efforts of everyone involved in the Memorial Cycle Ride.

“The generosity and commitment shown by the cyclists, organisers, sponsors, support team, and supporters will make a significant difference in helping us to provide care and support for our community.

“On behalf of everyone at the hospice, I would like to say thank you to all those involved. Special mentions must go to Austin Cornish and Malcolm Leith for their tireless efforts, as well as everyone who worked behind the scenes to ensure the ride was a success.”

The ride, supported by sponsors Greene & Greene, Greene King, St Edmundsbury Wealth Management, and Boortmalt, was the second of its kind. A previous Memorial Cycle Ride held in 2014 to mark the 40th anniversary of the tragedy raised an equally impressive £187,000.