Our thanks to long-serving Ride + Stride organiser Sheila Ward!!!!!

One of the longest-serving Ride+ Stride organisers in Sussex is finally passing on the baton after helping to raise funds for St Mary's Storrington and the Sussex Historic Churches Trust for over 20 years. 

Sheila Ward has been a driving force in helping St Mary's and its legion of sponsored Ride + Stride participants to raise funds for the ancient church. In the last five years alone, St Mary's Ride + Stride participants have raised more than £4,500. 

St Mary's dates back well over 1,000 years and was recorded in the Domesday Book. 

During the church service on Sunday (August 23), the congregation gave thanks to Sheila for her years of hard work and prayed for her colleague Robin Lenarth who will be looking after the Ride + Stride event going forward.

Ride + Stride is an annual event that that raises more than £1.5 million for churches right across the UK. This year's event is taking place on Saturday, September 12. Ride + Stride is a lot of fun, giving everyone the chance to explore some of Sussex's unique historic buildings while also raising vital funds. The event is open to all - you don't need to be a churchgoer or affiliated with any particular place of worship.

Trust chairman Chris Whittick said: "On behalf of the Trustees, I'd like to thank Sheila most sincerely for her devoted attention to Ride + Stride over more than two decades, and to welcome Robin to the role. We realise that the success of Ride and Stride depends entirely on scores of people such as Sheila and Robin across the whole of Sussex, and reassure them all that their efforts are noticed and their dedication acknowledged by us all."

About Ride + Stride Ride + Stride is by far the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Trust and plays a vital role in enabling the Trust to award grants to churches throughout East and West Sussex. All money raised during Ride + Stride is split 50:50 between the church chosen by each participant and the Sussex Historic Churches Trust. 

For more information on how you can take part and support your local church by getting sponsored on September 12, please see our Ride + Stride page.a great practical way to raise money for Sussex Historic Churches Trust.