More than 100 cyclists set off on ride to remember murdered MP Jo Cox

Yorkshire Post

More than 100 cyclists have set off on a 290-mile bike ride in memory of murdered MP Jo Cox.  Cheered on by Mrs Cox’s parents and sister, MP Kim Leadbeater, the group gathered at Princess Mary Athletics Stadium, in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, on Wednesday morning to follow her journey to London in the tenth Jo Cox Way event.  The annual ride aims to keep alive the legacy of the Batley and Spen Labour MP – who was killed by a far-right terrorist in June 2016 – by championing the causes she was passionate about.

Transcript

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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