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The managing trustee of the Sarah Groves Foundation, Vic Groves, said “After a great deal of consideration, it is with heavy hearts that the trustees of the Sarah Groves Foundation have unanimously agreed to cancel the Naked Leaf Tour de Sez charity bike ride between Guernsey and Rome planned for September 2022."
“We realise this will come as an enormous disappointment to the organisers, participants and sponsors who have supported us tirelessly.
“This is not a decision we have taken lightly and the primary reason for cancelling the ride is the continued uncertainty caused by the COVID pandemic. September 2022 is still ten months away, but the effects of the pandemic are far-reaching. This unpredictable environment makes planning, organisation, management, security, and costs impossible to control. These factors are accentuated when crossing international borders.
“We have notified the organisers, our riders and each of our generous sponsors and want to thank them for understanding that the risks of moving forward with the ride far outweigh the benefits in these unprecedented times.
“We appreciate our amazing riders have put in many hours of training, they have already raised funds and in some cases have been supported by employers with matched funding. We will offer refunds wherever we can and would welcome the opportunity to clarify or answer any questions regarding fundraising over the coming weeks.
“Finally, a personal message to Gary Hooks, Leon Howard, and Sue Farnham, who have become an integral part of the Tour ever since the early days of Paris in 2014. We fully appreciate your immense and heartfelt support of the Sarah Groves Foundation and how important these events are to you. Without your creativity and energy, the Foundation would not be where it is today. We would like to retain that loyalty and support in whatever way we can in these challenging and unfortunate circumstances.
“The Sarah Groves Foundation remains committed to supporting projects that improve the lives of young people. We would like to sincerely thank everyone for supporting the Foundation and thank you for your understanding with what has been an incredibly difficult decision.”
