A CIRENCESTER vicar and verger cycled 37 miles as part of this year's Ride and Stride fundraiser.

On Saturday, the vicar of Cirencester, Revd. Canon Graham Morris and one of the church vergers, John Lawrence rode around the Cotswold countryside visiting 15 local picturesque churches.

They were accompanied by Maggie Chew, a keen cyclist from Cirencester who is a volunteer in the church shop.

The event, organised by Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust is to raise money for the upkeep of the county’s historic and iconic church buildings.

Sponsor money will be divided between the trust and the Parish Church of St John Baptist which constantly needs renovation and conservation.

The church, often called the Cathedral of the Cotswolds, dates from the mid-1100s, and has been greatly enhanced through the centuries, especially during the early 1500s because of the wealth of the wool trade in the town at that time.

Sponsorship has been pouring in during the last week and it is hoped that over £1,000 will be raised.

For anyone who would still like to make a donation, visit cirenparish.co.uk/news/ride-and-stride/

It’s not often we can say “On your Bike” to a Vicar and a Verger, but we did and now we can congratulate them and Maggie on their marvellous achievement.