FIREFIGHTERS visited Moreton-in-Marsh on Monday (April 11) to reveal a special kit made for their 1000-mile sponsored bike ride which aims to raise £100,000 for the Fire Fighters Charity.

Just one month before they set off on their epic journey from John O’Groats to Land’s End on May 13, Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service’s fundraising firefighters launched their innovative lycra cycling outfits at the town’s Fire Service College.

The cycling kits have been designed by team member Clive Durbin, a former graphic designer, with input from the other team members and made by a company specialising in cycling wear.

Mr Durbin, the training resources officer, said: “The new kit mirrors the protective clothing the fire service now uses. We wanted the outfits to represent us as fire fighters rather than us do the trip in ordinary cycling clothing. The kit also includes the reflective bands we have on the firefighting clothes we wear at incidents, which are a good safety measure making us more visible when we are riding.”

The 18 firefighters, along with a support team of four others, will set off south on the 1,006 mile journey, the same amount of square miles Oxfordshire itself covers.

Leading the pack will be chief fire officer Dave Etheridge who is personally undertaking the “top to bottom” tour as a ‘Chiefs challenge’.

He said: “We have three aims which are to promote health and wellbeing, to raise a fantastic £100,000 for the Fire Fighters Charity and, obviously to make it to Land's End safe and sound.

“The target of £100,000 is the largest sum we have ever tried to raise in a single event and we are hoping everyone will get behind us by sponsoring team members, making donations, pledges and buying raffle tickets.

“Our journey will take us 14 days – we will be having a rest day – riding approximately 80 miles a day and stopping at eight different Fire and Rescue Services - Scottish, Cumbria, Lancashire, Staffordshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Devon & Somerset and finally Cornwall. On the Oxfordshire leg we will involve Royal Berkshire and Buckingham & Milton Keynes Fire and Rescue Services, inviting them to be part of the ride as we travel through their counties.”

The fundraising fire fighters’ ages range from early 20s to 63 and are all enthusiastic cyclists. Some are veterans of an Oxford to Bonn ride whilst others are new to long distance riding.

Visit virginmoneygiving.com/team/jogle2016 to sponsor the team.