In the start of the New Year many people are looking to find a goal to commit to, a challenge to help them join the ‘New Year, New Me’ notion that takes over the nation.

The fourth year of the Goatham’s Great Kent Cycle Ride may be just the event that will tick all the boxes for those looking for a new sporting opportunity to work towards in 2020.

This charity cycle ride is in support of Help for Heroes and Kent Sports Trust and is a challenging yet achievable 3 day cycle across the beautiful Kent countryside from the 3^rd to the 5^th of July.

Someone who took on the challenge in 2019 and is looking to come back again for the 2020 ride is Selena Hollingsworth.

Selena admittedly was “not a cyclist”, and started the epic three day ride having not done quite enough training, but she was full of determination and a will to succeed.

She admitted that that she had never done anything like the 220 mile ride that takes in vineyards, villages, coastal paths, history and breath-taking scenery, and doubted whether she would be able to complete the feat.

However the ethos of the ride – ‘no one gets left behind’ – brings all the riders together and gives the event a community feel and Selena said “I didn’t know that many people when we started on the Friday morning, but it became apparent that everyone was so friendly and wanted to help each other out and support one another.”

Despite her lack of training, Selena managed to complete the challenge and cross the finish line along with all the other participants, she told Kent Sports Trust “I will never be the fastest, but that doesn’t matter and that’s what the ride is all about, it’s about being inclusive and helping out one another. What other ride does that?”

She also told the trust about how the event had improved more than just her cycling ability “It’s given me so much more confidence, not only on the bike, but in my personal and work life.”

Tickets to the 3 day ride, which commences on Friday 3^rd July at Goatham’s Flanders Farm, will cost £75 and all participants are asked to fundraise £600 alongside this – there is also a self-funding option to cover this cost.

This fee will cover all accommodation, food, refreshments, water stops and evening meals.

However places in the ride are limited so you should sign up quickly to reserve a space for you and your bike by emailing your name, email address and contact number to [email protected], or visit https://www.kentsportstrust.org/events/goathams-great-kent-cycle-ride-2020/ for more information.