00:00When are you ready?
00:02My name is Sifras Meehan and ten years ago I set up the Joe Cox Way.
00:08Never did I imagine that the event would keep going for ten years
00:13and never did I imagine that we'd have so many people.
00:16The reason for setting it up was, like so many people, I was shocked and horrified by what happened to Joe.
00:23I thought that what we were seeing did not represent the UK that I recognized.
00:30So the idea really was to do a bike ride that went from Joe's constituency down to London,
00:36which was where she represented the people from her constituency.
00:40I wasn't from this area, I'm not from this area, I'm 80 miles away,
00:45but I really felt that a bike ride that brought people from different parts of the UK together
00:51so that they could ride together just demonstrated actually the diverse nature of the country that we've got
00:58and the fact that actually most people help each other and kind of want to get on.
01:04And ten years on, that message is still very, very important
01:09and I guess the ride is a living embodiment of that very important statement that Joe made in the House of Parliament,
01:17which is that we've got more in common than that which divides us.
01:20There we go.
01:21And obviously we're setting off Clekheaton and the plan is to go eventually to London.
01:26That's right, yeah. So we're cycling from Clekheaton through some tiny, tiny, beautiful lanes
01:32all the way to London and it's about 295 miles that we'll be doing,
01:36but it's the journey that obviously Joe made on behalf of her constituency
01:42and we are kind of following in her footsteps.
01:45What about riders? How many have we got?
01:48We are 105 riders this year, yeah. So it's our greatest ever.
01:52We're kind of 25 more than we were last year, so quite a challenge.
01:57What about the age of the riders?
01:59The youngest that's ever done the ride is 12 and the oldest will be 80 this year.
02:05So, yeah, quite the spread.
02:07What's the plan when you actually get to London?
02:09Relax, celebrate.
02:12Yeah, you know, it's the culmination of lots of work, lots of training for the riders.
02:17You know, for many of the riders they will not have cycled, you know, this kind of distance before.
02:22They won't have done a multi-day event. So really it's a celebration of what they've managed to achieve.
02:27If you could just tell me your full name.
02:30Right. My name's Kath Lyons. I'm from Skeptown.
02:33And a bit apprehensive about the Joe Cox way, but I've done it three times before,
02:41so I do know what to expect.
02:44I think that's why I'm apprehensive.
02:47Looking forward to the ride. I think it's a great way to remember Joe.
02:53And also, there's so much aggro and you could be an arbitrary comments made on things like Facebook.
03:03It's nice to do things as a group and actually remember things and be kind to each other.
03:10And the group are really supportive of all the riders.
03:18So, although we've got a lot of hills to do between now and London, we know we'll all get up them.
03:26So you've got a helping hand with you for the minute.
03:28Yeah.
03:29Sorry, yeah. I've got my partner Heather here.
03:32She's brought me here.
03:35So that's great.
03:37So I didn't have to think about driving or anything like that this morning.
03:41So it's nice to have somebody come to the start with you.
03:45So this is your fourth time?
03:46This is my fourth time, yeah.
03:48Okay.
03:49Is it your fourth time doing the whole event?
03:52Yes.
03:53Yeah.
03:54So your legs must be strong then.
03:56I've found them.
03:57Yes, they are.
03:58And I'm hoping they're strong enough to get me on to London and the 290 mile.
04:05What keeps you going for the whole distance then?
04:07I think the camaraderie that we have between everybody.
04:12We split up into nine groups and the camaraderie between the groups and we all help each other.
04:20There's times when we all feel a bit down and you think, why am I doing this?
04:25I must be crazier than crazy.
04:27And then we all help each other get up the hills and everybody's supportive.
04:33You support other people when they're feeling a bit down.
04:36They support you when you're feeling it's a bit tough.
04:40So that's what it's all about.
04:43And I think that epitomises what Joe was after and was about is with more in common.
04:49And I think the totally eclectic group of people here actually illustrates that.
04:55You know, everybody's different, but we all help each other.
05:00We all come together.
05:02Can you first introduce yourself please?
05:05My name is Ken Avery.
05:08And I'm one of the cyclists on the Joe Cox Way ride.
05:13I managed to do it last year and really enjoyed it.
05:17And so I'm back again this year.
05:21Why do I cycle?
05:24Well, one of the main reasons I cycled is because of my health.
05:30I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and follicular lymphoma nearly 15 years ago.
05:37And so I used cycling as a way of trying to keep fit and for exercise.
05:44And the Joe Cox Way provides one of those challenges that helps me to keep going through the winter months
05:52and to keep a good mileage up and just enjoying myself out on the roads.
05:58So last year you took part, but this year is going to be your full trip all the way down to London.
06:03No, last year I managed to do it all the way, yes.
06:07And really enjoyed it.
06:10It's such a good group to cycle with.
06:13And they are, although I'm probably the oldest male on the ride,
06:20they treat me as though I'm a normal cyclist.
06:26Age doesn't come into it.
06:28So they will see me say in the dining rooms and come and join me.
06:36Can we ask how old you are?
06:38Yes, I'm 76 years of age, 77 later this year.
06:45And when you cycle down, is it all as a group or is it perhaps, is it split?
06:50No, with the Joe Cox Way ride, we stay in groups.
06:55And so at the top of each hill, everyone waits.
06:59We all get together again and then we cycle on.
07:02It's a very good group to stay with.
07:04We stay together all the time.
07:07We're not finished.
07:07We wait to go back we'll come back.
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