Ride and Stride – 13 September 2025 – Bognor Regis Methodist Church

Selection of photos from Ride & Stride 2025 – use the side arrows on the photo gallery below.

Ride and Stride 2025 - support historic churches

Image 1 of 14

Latest – 100 laps for 100 years

Did you spot our racing Ray riding to raise money for running costs, repair, and renewal of the church after 100 years of outreach and support from #BognorRegis High Street?

Thanks for the messages of sightings, the attempted photos as Ray rode speedily past. We even had some folk who followed him to scan the QR code on his back, and discovered a beautiful church in the heart of the town centre.

Ray completed his 100 laps just under three hours. His wife Maria said: “He would’ve been faster, but people stopped and talked to him on some of the laps. He also had a couple of quick comfort breaks!”

Riding facts Ray’s route:

his 100 laps started from Bognor Regis Methodist Church with a left turn towards the crazy golf. Then left along The Esplanade towards Butlins and left again to pass by the town hall on Belmont Street. He then popped out at the end with the church in front. After a quick wave, off he went and did it all again!
Each lap was approximately 1/2 mile and took him 3-4 minutes, depending on the wind direction and persistence of the rain!
he almost rode the equivalent of the London-Brighton ride!

If you can donate or add ideas for the urgent fundraising appeals, please email bognorregismethodistchurch@gmail.com or ask for Ray at a Sunday service (someone is around from 10am to 12pm). To send your donations online to the Trust as part of the Ride and Stride, visit www.justgiving.com/page/bognor-regis-methodist-church

Thanks to everyone who has been donating time to this event during the last few months and who dropped in today. Any last minute Gift Aid sponsorship would be gratefully received. Let Maria or Ray know and add your gift aid claim to the sponsorship form.

Revd Tongayi Matamba said: “”This is another wonderful experience in the year that the Bognor Regis Methodist Church building turned 100 years old. As part of our support for Sussex Historic Churches Trust, one of the church members cycled 100 laps around the building and town, supported by many people who put the ideas and event together. John Wesley started his conference with 100 members which he called the legal 100. Yes the game continues.”

The fundraising continues

100 laps completed in the 100th year! Fifty miles, now we need 50 more fundraising ideas. Could yours be next?

Pre-event story

Come and receive a welcome this September at Bognor Regis Methodist Church for this year’s Ride and Stride.

If you have not chosen a church to nominate as yet, do consider this 100 year old church building in the centre of the town. You can also sponsor church member and Bognor Regis local Ray, who plans to do a special 100 laps on the day. Come along and cheer him on!

Bognor Regis Methodist Church is registered and will be open for this year’s Ride and Stride. The annual event is organised by the Sussex Historic Churches Trust.

Individuals can get sponsorship for their efforts on the day. All funds raised will be shared equally between the Trust and the place of worship participants nominate.

Bognor Regis Methodist Church will be one of the town churches open for the event on Saturday 13 September 2025, from 9am to 5pm. The event will help raise public awareness and much-needed funds for the repair, restoration, and running costs of the church, as well as the work of the Trust in supporting historic church buildings.

Come down to the church, cheer-on, support and sponsor the participants as they Ride and Stride through! Some of the photos or Ray preparing in our slideshow – thanks to Maria and everyone for the photos.

Refreshments will be served throughout the event.

Follow the links below if you want to participate in the Ride and Stride, Register online and print your Sponsorship Form – then go get friends and family to sponsor you! You can obtain a PDF of the sponsorship form online, from the church, or email the church at bognorregismethodistchurch@gmail.com if you have problems downloading the form.

Remember you do not have to walk from church-to-church.
You can pogo around the Bognor Regis Methodist church if you have a mind to!

Just make sure you get sponsored for all your efforts!

If you want to support the event in another way, check out what Ray will be doing. Come and wave him on during his 100 laps!

Credit image: Pixabay/ congmongt

Ideas and photos

Send us your fun Ride and Stride ideas for the church’s website and social media. You can link the Church’s Facebook to photos you upload by using our handle @BognorRegisMethodistChurch

Keep checking out our Facebook page and website for future initiatives and events.

Read more about the national event and the work of Sussex Historic Churches Trust.

Sponsor Ray as he gets on his bike

Ray’s wife Maria, who is spearheading the fundraising campaign for the church, said: “It’s been about a decade since Ray last rode his bike, even to run errands! He is happy as a kid to be able to have an excuse to go out and ride his bike!”

Maria said: “He’s planning a circuitous route along the beach front towards Butlins, then swinging back each time to the pass the church to be waved on by his adoring fans! They will countdown as he completes each one of his 100 laps and cheer him on as he passes them by!” Ray expects it will take him approximately three hours to complete the route.

If you want to help Ray by signing up family and friends to sponsor him, please print the Sponsorship Form and get cracking! Collect the money, and contact Maria to arrange drop-off of funds at the church. If you have a question about sponsorship forms or difficulty downloading them, email bognorregismethodistchurch@gmail.com and someone will help you. You can send Maria a message via the church email, and this will be forwarded to her.

What is Ride + Stride?

Ride and Stride is an annual event which raises more than £1.5 million for churches right across the country. It plays a vital role in fundraising for the Sussex Historic Churches Trust and many historic churches. You don’t need to be a church-goer to take part!

If you can help the Bognor Regis Methodist Church with its urgent appeal or if you are already taking part and don’t have a church to nominate, please nominate us on your sponsorship form to receive half of the funds raised through your Ride or Stride efforts.

List of churches that will be open in Sussex on 13 September 2025. We are looking forward to welcoming Riders and Striders, and the church off Waterloo Square will have volunteers available throughout the day. So come and visit this 100 year old church building.

Helpful information for participants

Information for participants and the sponsorship form from Sussex Historic Churches Trust. Details of cheque payments and how you can Gift Aid your donations are available at that link too.

Direct link to the sponsorship form (PDF file) – on the first page, you can add the name of the church ‘Bognor Regis Methodist Church’. If you would like a print out, let us know on bognorregismethodistchurch@gmail.com and you can collect it from the church on a Sunday morning or during our community Well-Come Point on Friday mornings.

We will need your completed sponsorship form and list of churches visited before 23 October 2025 to send it to Sussex Historic Churches Trust, together with the funds you have raised.