Palace fans cycle 120-miles from Bournemouth and raise £50,000 for young south Londoners

Over the Easter weekend, a group of incredible fundraisers completed a 120-mile cycling trip from Vitality Stadium to Selhurst Park, just in time to catch the Palace home fixture against Bournemouth, as part of our Bike From Bournemouth cycling fundraiser.

Due to the way the fixtures have landed for Palace this year, the number of miles that’s feasible to take on and daylight hours at particular times of year, we decided to mix it up this year, with a ‘Bike From’ challenge.

The challenge began with a bang as all 43 riders tackled the longest and toughest leg of the journey — a 104-mile ride from Vitality Stadium to Thatchers Hotel in East Horsley. The route included well-earned pit stops at Bramshaw Village Hall, just beyond the New Forest, and Ropley Village Hall, where the riders refuelled with lunch. The final stretch of the day featured a quick pause at Tilford Village Hall before the group headed to the hotel, ready to relax with a well-deserved drink (or a few!) at the bar.

Despite the less-than-ideal weather,  with strong winds proving particularly testing, spirits remained high and camaraderie kept everyone moving.

After a slightly later start around 10am, riders set off on the final, shorter leg: a 20-mile (ish) ride into Selhurst Park. Excitement built as they approached their destination, eventually crossing the finish line through the Whitehorse Lane gates – just in time for kick-off against Bournemouth.

The joy and relief at the finish line was clear – perfectly summed up in the photo below.

43 riders took on this challenge this year, our best attended cycling fundraiser to date. The group included riders of all ages and abilities, yet every single one completed the challenge, a true testament to their passion for South London and determination.

We’d like to take a special moment to celebrate Jim King, who, at the age of 73, completed the remarkable 120-mile cycle, made all the more impressive by the fact that he’s taken part in all five rides since 2020. With this being his final Palace ride, completed alongside his daughter Penny, we felt it only right to give him a well-deserved shoutout. You can find out more about his story here.

Our group of fundraisers are still raising money for Palace for Life, to help open more doors for young people in south London.

So far, the group has raised £50,000 – and incredible amount – but they need your support to help us set a fundraising record for our Bike From event.

To help us get to (and beat!) our target, you can donate to our riders below.

Donate here