Cycle raises £10,500

FRANKIE’S Fish & Chips manager John Gold this week handed over a large cheque to the Fishermen’s Mission following a cycling charity fundraiser.

The “cycle sportive” raised £10,500 in sponsorship and donations for the event, which took place on Sunday 31 August.

Gold presented the funds to Alan Gifford, chairman of the Shetland advisory committee to the Fishermen’s Mission.

Also present were Total engineers Robin Howard and Michael Jones, who were members of a nine-strong team from the Shetland Gas Plant which raised £750, a sum matched by the company to give a total of £1,500.

A record 56 cyclists took part in the fourth annual charity cycle. Thirty completed the 40-mile ride – two times around a lap from Brae to Voe, up Dales Voe and back round to Brae – with Colin Smith of Shetland Wheelers first home.

Eleven did the 20-mile ride – one lap of the same course – with Jim Nicolson leading the group over the line, while 15-year-old James Holt was the first of the 15 riders in the 10-mile ride from Brae to Voe and back.

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“We are delighted so many cyclists turned out and so many sponsors gave so generously,” Gold said. “Thanks also to Blydoit Fish and our local suppliers for donating food for the participants.

“Since our first one in 2011, the event has raised more than £10,000 for the Fishermen’s Mission. Amazingly, we’ve succeeded in doubling that total in one year.”