The Western Front Way - Stephen Drinkwater and members of the Rivington Cyclists Team

WESTERN FRONT WAY CHALLENGE JUNE 2025

Four former pupils of Rivington and Blackrod School have decided to undertake a huge challenge by cycling the Western Front Way, from the Swiss border to Nieuwpoort on the Belgian coast. The route, which notionally follows what was "no man's land" in World War 1 is a total distance of 1020km (634 miles).

The team comprising of Colin Higham, Kevan Ball and Robert Taylor, none of whom profess to be cyclists, will all be aged 65 this year (so should know better than to take on crazy challenges). They will be ably supported for the duration of the expedition by Russell Jones providing essential support, encouragement and Vaseline.

In preparation the team has researched all the young men from Rivington and Blackrod School who made the ultimate sacrifice during WW1 and have discovered that 16 are buried or commemorated in France and Belgium along the Western Front Way.

The Aims:

1. In 10 days starting 4 June 2025 complete the 1020km of the WFW

2. Visit the graves / memorials of the 16 old boys who died in WW1

3. Raise as much money as possible for charity.

4. Return home in one piece.

The trip will be entirely self-funded so 100% of all donations will be shared between:

> Royal British Legion (RBL) - A worthy charity and with the link to the challenge an obvious choice

> Children in Need - A worthy cause that does phenomenal amounts of work plus an effort to engage the current school pupils

> Local Charities / Groups including St Ann's Hospice (SAH) who recently cared for a very good school friend of Col, Kev, Rob and Russ during her final days.

Your support for the Western Front Way Challenge June 2025 will be greatly appreciated by the team and the worthwhile charities who will hopefully benefit, for which we are very grateful Col, Kev, Rob and Russ