John Chapman (JC) Memorial Charity Ride July 2021

During these uncertain times of the world we live in, I decided to use this lockdown time to reflect, plan and train for a challenge. A challenge that was thought up over a beer and will most definitely end with a couple of celebratory beers including a toast to a great man – John Chapman (JC to many). The main thing and biggest commitment (which is well under way) is the training to complete this huge challenge.

In April 2020 we lost dad to the awful disease of cancer, it was tough during a worldwide pandemic but having still not had the chance to celebrate his life, I decided it was time to take up a challenge in his memory. Anyone that knows me also knows that a challenge worth doing does not come easy, so if you go to the effort of doing it, do it properly. 

The Challenge - To cycle from Portrush, Northern Ireland to Kettering Rugby Football Club. 

The Team – A group of us will together tackle this huge challenge. Myself, Aidan my brother, my cousins Nathan and Lee Joyce and friends Josh Block, Jack Walther and Jamie Carmillet. We will also be supported along the way with plenty of ice packs for the knee’s by Danny Noble, Harry Joyce and George Newman, they play vital roles ensuring a few pints of Guinness are on the bar at the end of each day.

The Route - County Antrim, N Ireland is where many a holiday were spent as a young family visiting grandparents, to the recent years of trips to watch the motorcycle road races. Portrush was also dad’s favourite place for a drop of Guinness. From there following the route south, rode with dad on motorbikes, down to Dublin, across to Holyhead through Snowdonia heading SE towards home finishing at Kettering Rugby Football Club, a place where from young children was our 2nd home as a family, where lifelong friendships were made and somewhere special to this day.  

Donations received will be to support the extremely kind care workers of Age UK Northamptonshire (end of life) support team with a small part of the donations going towards a proposed memorial bench (location tbc but hopefully placed at Kettering Rugby Club) in dads memory.