SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, is calling on keen cyclists to dust off their helmets and join the ‘Victory Ride’ across Hampshire.

Cyclists are beingt ured to prove their peddle-power and raise vital funds for the charity’s work in supporting the Armed Forces community.

The charity is searching for a further 50 riders to join those already signed up to cycle the ‘Victory Ride’ on Sunday, July 10. It is on a first-come, first-served basis and cyclists need to sign up by next Monday, June 27.

The ‘Victory Ride’ offers riders two different route options through the picturesque, southern, coastal and country villages of Hampshire. Both routes start and finish at Lord Nelson’s iconic Battle of Trafalgar flagship HMS Victory in Portsmouth harbour, one being an epic 68-mile marathon ride through Hampshire and the other a less strenuous, but equally epic, 37-mile ride.

The cost is £36 for the shorter ride and £45 for the longer one with sponsorship targets at £150 and £175 minimum respectively. This includes entry to the ride, an SSAFA T-shirt, all support out on the route including food and drink, and a finishers’ medal.

The event hopes to raise £30,000 which will be used by SSAFA to help provide practical, emotional and financial support for the 60,000 people of the Armed Forces community it currently supports every year.

To sign up for the cycle challenge, e-mail [email protected] or call 020 7463 9297.

For more details, visit ssafa.org.uk/fundraise/challenge-events/cycle.