The Jo Cox Way: Entries open for Cleckheaton to London bike ride to remember late MP for Batley and Spen

Cyclists have taken part in the mammoth 288-mile ride each year since her murder in 2016 - and next July’s event promises to be the biggest yet, with 85 places available.

Riders will set off from Princess Mary Athletics Stadium in Cleckheaton on Wednesday, July 24, and arrive in London on Sunday July 28, with stops in Buxton, in Derbyshire, Market Bosworth, in Leicestershire, Cranfield in Buckinghamshire and Uxbridge in Middlesex.

The ride aims to keep the former MP’s legacy alive by promoting community spirit and supporting causes that were important to her.

Jo’s sister, Kim Leadbeater, who is now the MP for Batley and Spen, has been involved in each of the previous eight rides.

“It’s a wonderful five days and it’s everything Jo would have loved,” she said. “Cycling has enormous physical and mental health benefits, and also helps combat loneliness and isolation - causes Jo was passionate about.”

She added: “The Jo Cox Way ride is a great chance to meet and talk to people from different backgrounds. It’s brilliant that cyclists are joining together yet again to celebrate that we have ‘far more in common than that which divides us’ – as Jo said in her maiden speech in Parliament. These riders are inspirational.”

The Jo Cox Way was started by North Yorkshire businessman and keen cyclist Sarfraz Mian BEM, just a few weeks after her murder.

He said: “Half of last year’s riders had never done it before - many said it was the ride of their lives. It’s a big challenge but there’s real warmth. Riders form lasting friendships with people of different ages, from all sorts of backgrounds.

“We have cyclists from Batley, Mirfield, Dewsbury and all over Yorkshire and all over the country.

“I never met Jo, but her determination to create a fairer, kinder world for all really touched me in 2016 and is now more relevant than ever.”

The Jo Cox Way, which raises funds for The Jo Cox Foundation, costs £395 to enter, including accommodation, meals, rider support and travel back to Yorkshire.

There’s a discount for those who sign up early. Anyone wishing to join can sign up using this link: https://www.riderhq.com/events/p/awan8r9q/f/the-jo-cox-way-2024