Events Management Students gear up for the annual Silverstone charity bike ride

Events Management students from the University of Northampton are proving their worth and gaining valuable work experience by taking on the challenge of organising the annual charity bike ride at the world-famous Silverstone Race Circuit in May.

This is the sixth time the event has been run and the eight students; Michelle Allen, Jessica Archibald, Annabelle Callaway, Zoë Catlin, Lucy Hemmings, Lauren Honeyman, Siobhan Shand-Liddle and Niki Zacharia, are working closely with the Northamptonshire Parent and Infant Partnership (NorPIP), which helps parents to establish bonds and relationships with their babies.

The event, which takes place on Monday 1 May, is a great opportunity for experienced riders, budding cyclists and families, to take on the 3.66-mile Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. There will also be entertainment provided, including local stalls and activities for children.

Claire Leer, Senior Lecturer in Events Management, commented: “The University of Northampton has proudly worked alongside NorPIP since 2012 to organise this annual bike ride. This event is the capstone project for Events Management students in their final year and provides them with an invaluable experience. This group is working extremely hard to make it a success. I’m sure their hard work will be rewarded on the day.”

Zoë Catlin describes working alongside Silverstone and NorPIP. She said: “It’s really exciting to plan an event at Silverstone, as it gives us the experience and knowledge of how a large scale event is planned. Alongside the main event we’ve also been working hard, by fundraising at the local Tesco Daventry store to raise awareness of the NorPIP charity and the bike ride.”

With the planning process well underway and the tickets for the event selling fast, Siobhan Shand-Liddle, said: “The project is a great chance to gain some hands-on experience of running an event, as well as raising money for a local charity. We’re really excited to see how the event comes together and hope to see lots of people there on the day.”

Tickets start from £15 for adults and £5 for children and are available to buy from the NorPIP website.