Piggy March and her husband Tom have announced they will complete a Charity Cycle Challenge of 1,000km in memory of Caroline March, who sadly passed away in March 2024.
The cycle ride, which will feature participants such as Ian Stark OBE, aims to raise £500,000 for the vital work carried out by both Spinal Research and the British Eventing Support Trust.
Spinal Research is the UK’s leading charity funding medical research to develop life-changing treatments for millions around the world living with a spinal cord injury.
The epic ten-day ride will start on November 20th, 2024, at Blair Castle, Perthshire, and will take place in prestigious eventing venues including Bramham, Chatsworth, Burghley, Blenheim Palace, and Badminton. The final leg will see riders travel from Windsor, through central London, to The Savoy Hotel, the location for the BE Support Trust Charity Ball, which will take place the same evening (November 30).
Sadly, Tom’s sister Caroline sustained life-changing injuries after falling from her horse during an event in 2022, passing away in March 2024 surrounded by the love and support of her family and friends.
Tom commented:
“Caroline’s life was completely transformed by her spinal injury, and she really believed in helping to pursue scientific advances to find a cure for spinal cord injuries. Spinal Research is the UK’s leading charity focused on the repair and restoration of the spinal cord and so was the right fit to try to achieve a positive change in Caroline’s memory.”
Joining Piggy and Tom March will be a core team of cyclists including BE Support Trust Chair of the Board of Trustees and three-time Olympian Ian Stark OBE, Support Trust Patron Alastair Wilson, and multi-medallist Holly Woodhead. Additional stars from the equestrian and sporting world will join individual journey legs, including members of the British 2024 gold medal-winning Olympic team, former Olympians, and World and European Champions.
Piggy March commented:
“It’s the first time in my life that I’m supporting my sport from the other side of the fence. I’ve had an amazing time and loved doing what I’ve done and had great fun working with horses. But this year we’ve seen some tragedies that have been out of our hands and have upset us enormously.
We know it’s a high-risk sport, but I still want to encourage people to enjoy a career and a life with horses as much as I have. I also want the families who are sadly affected by that fine line, in a fall or an accident, that have a dramatic change in their lives to have the support and encouragement to plan and move forward in a positive way where they can still enjoy a quality of life, with as little pain as possible. It’s something that we feel very strongly about.”
Tara Stewart, Chair of Spinal Research, commented:
“All of us at Spinal Research were deeply saddened by the news of Caroline’s death and are honoured and delighted to be part of the Cycle4Caroline challenge, which will support both our work and that of the British Eventing Support Trust, creating a legacy of hope in her memory.”
Supporters will be able to follow the team’s progress via social media and updates at Cycle 4 Caroline.
These edits streamline the text and ensure clarity.
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Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.
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