Help for Heroes ‘big battlefield bike ride’ raised over £328,000

Sign ups are now live for the 2025 event which will mark the 80th anniversary of VE day next year.

Help for Heroes has today announced that their iconic fundraising event, the Big Battlefield Bike Ride, raised more than £328,000 in 2024 providing vital support for veterans and their families, helping them to live well after service.

The event, which started in 2008, has raised more than £10million to date for the charity and is the biggest fundraising event in the history of Help for Heroes.

Over 140 cyclists took part in 2024, including notable participants such as SAS Veteran Jamie Hull and arm amputee and Invictus Games athlete Dan Richards. They embarked on a 250-mile cycle journey across the picturesque French countryside, all to commemorate the momentous 80^th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Over four days, the riders peddled around 70 miles each day, visiting historic memorials and attending remembrance services. Noteworthy stops included the new British memorial in Normandy and the ride’s grand finale at Paris’ Les Invalides.

Next year’s epic route has already been planned and signups are now live to join the ride from Buckingham Palace to Rheine in Germany commemorating the 80^th anniversary of VE Day. The route, which follows the path of WW2 Allied Forces to Rheine, will take place from 16-21 June.

You can sign up at https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/give-support/fundraising-events/big-battlefield-bike-ride/

Mark Cavendish, long-time patron of Help for Heroes and a participant in the 2013 ride, praised the event, stating: “The Big Battlefield Bike Ride is more than just a challenge on two wheels—it's a journey through history that honours the sacrifices made by so many. Each mile pedalled is a tribute to the veterans who served and continue to inspire us.

“Raising over £328,000 this year alone is a testament to the incredible support for our veterans. This event is vital not just for the funds it generates, but for the awareness it brings to the ongoing needs of those who have given so much.

“Supporting Help for Heroes through this ride ensures that our veterans receive the care and support they deserve, helping them live well after service.”

Held from June 24 to 29, the ride also honoured the 80th anniversary of D-Day, adding a particularly poignant dimension to the event. Among the riders was Rhydian Mason, 48, who participated in honour of his grandfather T. Elwyn Mason, a Royal Army Service Corps veteran who landed on the beaches on 6^th June 1944.

Reflecting on his experience, Rhydian said: “I had to take part in the ride – it was a way to connect my grandfather’s experience 80 years ago with today’s veterans. As I got older, I realised how much he suffered from his experiences at Dunkirk and later at Normandy.

“He was the reason I signed up, knowing I’d be cycling through areas he once knew. I believe he suffered from what is now recognised as PTSD. My grandfather never had the support that available today, so I did the ride not just for him but to support a charity that helps today’s veterans cope with similar struggles.

“The ride itself was unforgettable. The cycling wasn’t too taxing, the weather was on our side, and the French roads were billiard-table smooth. The scenery, the history, and the poignancy of it all were deeply moving. As a first timer, the camaraderie and friendliness of everyone stood out to me – it was an experience like no other.

“To ride alongside ex-service men and women who themselves have benefitted from the charity’s support made it all more meaningful for me, and it's something I urge anyone who is thinking about doing so to bite the bullet and just sign up. BBBR 2024 was one of the greatest experiences of my life.”

Help for Heroes champions the Armed Forces community and helps them live well after service. The charity helps veteran families to recover and get on with their lives. It has already supported more than 31,000 people and won’t stop until every veteran gets the support they deserve.

The Charity supports veteran families, from any branch of the UK military – regulars or reserves – irrespective of length or place of service, and locally embedded civilians (and their families) who worked under the command of UK Armed Forces.

• To get support visit helpforheroes.org.uk.