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Jayne Torvill is once more swapping her ice skates for two wheels after signing up to join Davina McCall again on a charity ride in aid of Action Medical Research.
The skating superstar will be getting back in the saddle to join the charity’s Ambassador for Davina’s Big Sussex Bike Ride on 12 June 2016 to raise funds to save and change the lives of sick and disabled babies and children.
Mother-of-two Jayne, who lives in East Sussex, took part in the 2015 event alongside 400 cyclists and enjoyed it so much that she’s signed up to ride for a reason this year.
“There was a great atmosphere on the day - I found it very friendly, it didn't feel competitive at all,” says Jayne. “It was like a big family day out... which happened to include quite a long bike ride!”
The female-friendly ride, which starts and finishes at the East Sussex National Hotel and Golf Course, near Uckfield, offers three route options: the Cool 21-mile route, the more challenging Classic option, which covers 40 miles, and the Champion 68-mile route for experienced riders.
Since she last rode for Action, Jayne has made her panto debut in Manchester in Cinderella on off-ice skates with partner Christopher Dean and the experience has helped her stay in shape over winter.
“It was challenging doing two shows a day but it was a really fantastic experience. We were able to do a certain amount of what we do on the ice - the biggest challenge was remembering the lines,” she laughs.
Jayne is fairly new to the sport of cycling, despite holding two Olympic medals for her skating triumphs, and she will be riding 40 miles for the second time on Davina’s Big Sussex Bike Ride.
“What I really like about this ride is that you get to practise on the route beforehand ,” she adds. “I just got back on the bike last week.”
For more than 60 years Action Medical Research has helped pioneer treatments and ways to prevent disease that have benefited millions of people in the UK and across the world. Research it has funded has helped to beat polio in the UK, develop ultrasound in pregnancy, fight meningitis and prevent stillbirths.
The Horsham-based charity is currently funding research into premature birth, meningitis, Down syndrome and epilepsy, as well as some rare and distressing conditions that severely affect children.
This year Action Medical Research has opened up the ride to supporters of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity, as it celebrates working in partnership with the charity to jointly fund over £2m of research.
Entry to Davina’s Big Sussex Bike Ride is just £25 for the Cool route or £38 for the Classic and Champion options - sign up today at action.org.uk/events/cycling/davina-ride
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For high-res images of Jayne Torvill on Davina’s Big Sussex Bike Ride in 2015, please click on the links below (please credit Lee Collier Photography):
https://www.action.org.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/press/jayne_torvill_riding.jpg
https://www.action.org.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/press/jayne_torvill_0.jpg
For a high-res image of Davina McCall at the 2015 event, please click on the links below (please credit Lee Collier Photography):
http://www.action.org.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/press/davina_mccall_1.jpg
NOTES TO EDITORS:
For more information on Action Medical Research, please contact Ellie Evans, Fundraising Communications Officer, on:
T 01403 327480
Follow us on Twitter at @actionmedres and @amr_events
Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/actionmedres
Follow us at pinterest/actionmedres
Action Medical Research is a leading UK-wide charity saving and changing children’s lives through medical research. For more than 60 years we’ve helped pioneer ways to prevent disease and develop treatments benefiting millions of people. Our research has helped to beat polio in the UK, develop ultrasound, fight meningitis and prevent stillbirths. But we urgently need to develop more new treatments and cures for sick babies and children and we can’t do it without you.
Join our fight for little lives today.
Charity reg. nos 208701 and SC039284.