Stride and Ride 2022

For over twenty years residents, service users, staff, and key supporters have joined together to take part in Stride and Ride to raise vital funds for Strode Park Foundation. 

Stride and Ride is an annual fundraiser for the residents and service users at Strode to join together to not only fundraise but also come together and have fun. The twenty two year old event has been a crowd favourite amongst our residents, with service users and supporters coming back every year.

When the pandemic hit in 2020 the fundraiser had to take a new form to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Residents took to their gardens to complete their Stride and Ride fancy dress fundraiser, which saw fabulous costumes from Hawaiian themed outfits, to teddy bears and even the Coach House Express. The event has been noted by staff to have been an incredibly uplifting moment during the pandemic, as it helped bring some positivity and fun during uncertain times.

After a years break in 2021 due to more concerns around covid safety, Stride and Ride returned in 2022 better than ever. The event saw residents from many of the homes including Coach House, Lady Dane Farmhouse, Redwalls, and Strode Park House come together. With the sun shining the residents walked and wheeled their way along the beach and finished the event with a picnic.

Despite the good, fun nature of the event, the fancy dress competition woke up everyone’s competitive spirits, with people sporting their 80’s getups, Where’s Wally costumes, and some pirates sprinkled in as well. The clear winners of the day were Ryan as Michael Jackson and Malcom as a banana who won the best fancy dress costume and The Coach House who won the best fancy dress team costume for their Back to the 80’s theme.

Fundraising, Events and Volunteer Coordinator, Sarah Bingham said, “This is such a special and feel-good event that we love to be able to put on for our residents. They all have such a great time, especially choosing their fancy dress costumes and it was great for us all to be together again after such a long time.”

A huge thank you to everyone who came out and supported the event, we raised over £1000 for Strode, which will help support the children, young people and adults with disabilities in our care. We look forward to 2023!