Rayleigh and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, recently challenged himself and other MPs and Peers on a static bike ride as part of a 12 hour challenge in the IPT Poppy Ride, in association with the Royal British Legion.
The annual Poppy Ride, which is jointly organised by the Industry and Parliament Trust and the RBL brings Members of Parliament together to raise money and awareness for the Royal British Legion. The aim is to simulate the ride between London and Paris, with each rider seeing how far they can cycle in a five minute sprint. The event was joined by serving members of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force and who also raced against MPs, as well as sharing their experiences of life in the Armed Forces.
The very competitive poppy ride, saw Mark cycling a 3.07km in his five minute slot, positioning himself in the top quarter of the leader board.
Commenting on the Poppy Ride, Mark said:
“It is important to remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice, especially in the 100th anniversary of the end of fighting during World War One. The IPT Poppy Ride is a fun yet competitive way for MPs to learn more about the important work that is being carried out by the Royal British Legion and to raise money for such an important cause. While I am unlikely to trouble to Olympic Selectors, I was pleased to achieve a personal best of over 3km this year, in support of such a good cause.”