Dobbies Garden Centre in Cirencester will celebrate 150th year in business with epic cycle ride

Dobbies Garden Centre, based near Siddington, is one of 35 Dobbies stores across the UK. Starting in Edinburgh, employees from each store will be cycling from centre to centre, handing over a baton as they go, to mark 150 years in business this June.

A total of nine members of staff have signed up to cycle the 58.6 miles from the Cirencester store to Shepton Mallet.

Community champion at Cirencester Dobbies Annabel Lewis said she hoped members of the public will cheer them on as they pass through villages in the Cotswolds.

“The volunteers can do legs of the route, they don’t have to do all the 58.6 miles,” said Annabel, who will be driving a support vehicle on the day. “We’ll be raising money for our local charity Cotswold Volunteers at the same time.

"There will be someone on an exercise bike in the store to collect money.” The nine volunteers will be heading off on June 12, and Annabel hopes people will come along to wave them off. The Milton Keynes Dobbies team will arrive at the Cirencester store the day before to hand over the baton.

“I’m hoping to get an inflatable start line,” added Annabel. “A mile out of Shepton Mallet we will all stop to take a break and then cycle into their store together.”

And the team, which includes general manager Paul Hilliam, hope that residents of Siddington, Ewen, Tetbury and Kemble, where they plan to cycle though, will come out and cheer them on as the ride.

Annabel said: “I thought it would be nice to let customers know that we are doing it and maybe they can appear on the route,” said Annabel. I was surprised that so many people volunteered to cycle. I thought I wouldn’t see anyone volunteer!”

Annabel will be creating a map of the route to let customers know the times they will be appearing in each village.

To further celebrate the milestone this year, Dobbies will be hosting a number of other events, including a ladies night.