Cycle cops' charity challenge

Five North Yorkshire Police officers are set to tackle the gruelling Coast-to-Coast cycle ride in aid of local charities.

Sergeant Will Eastwood of the Easingwold Safer Neighbourhood Team will lead the team as they set off from Workington on the 130-mile challenge on 30 July. They aim to complete the ride in three days, finishing in Sunderland.

Two Easingwold charities are set to benefit from the ride, the Easingwold District Community Care Association and United Response's 'Old Boot Shop' in Chapel Street, Easingwold.

Sergeant Eastwood said: "Most of the team use cycles to patrol the local neighourhoods and our enthusiasm for cycling is riding high at the moment. We decided to take on the Coast-to-Coast as a personal challenge and at the same time benefit our local community.

"We chose the local charities as we wanted to do something which benefited sections of the community who we don't always get chance to interact with because of other demands. This is a way of showing our support for the great work they do. Hopefully this will be the first of many team fund-raisers."

Easingwold Community Care Association is a local charity which runs a number of groups and day centres in the area catering for local people with different needs.

United Response is a voluntary organisation which aims to support people with learning disabilities in a work environment, a recreational pursuit, with an educational aim or at home. The Old Boot Shop provides a retail outlet for a wide variety of crafts, produced on the premises.

Anyone who would like to sponsor the team, please contact Will via email:

will.eastwood@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk