The Big Ride for Palestine has held a ride every summer since 2015 focusing on flying the flag in solidarity with Palestine and raising funds for Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) for children’s projects and more recently, for Palestine Riders and for the Gaza Sunbirds paracycling team.

This year has been very different from previous years with the horrifying genocide in Gaza and the unending harassment of Palestinians in the West Bank. Sadly, we have also witnessed the brutal destruction of playgrounds like the one The Big Ride funded in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza.

In response to the war crimes by the Israeli forces there has been a series of massive demonstrations throughout the world including huge fortnightly marches in the UK, which Big Ride for Palestine supporters have responded to along with hundreds of thousands of others. We have also seen many protests in towns and cities large and small throughout the UK. When we are not marching, we have organised Rides for Palestine in local towns and cities (10 and counting), often connecting with local protests in collaboration with the Gaza Sunbirds and the Global Solidarity Rides in 50+ cities around the world. This has attracted many new riders.

Whatever the outcome of the genocide in Gaza, many new people have witnessed and been mobilised by Israel’s appalling violence and the UK government’s complicity. The Big Ride for Palestine will continue to organise ride events to demonstrate UK people's solidarity, something we know is highly valued by Palestinians.

This summer, The Big Ride for Palestine is organising a series of one day ‘Big Rides’ in different regions in the UK  These will happen between 20 July and 10 August. The rides will be full day rides and will aim for the size and vibe of the annual Big Ride for Palestine we know and love. We hope you can join us on one or more of them.

About the Rides

There is nothing like the feeling of solidarity and togetherness that people experience when they take part in a Big Ride for Palestine!

Why do we ride?
We ride to express our solidarity with Palestine in a positive way, talking to people as we go and raising awareness of the decades long occupation, ethnic cleansing and genocide happening in Gaza and the West Bank. We also ride to raise funds for Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA) and Gaza Sunbirds, our partners in Palestine who are on the ground making a difference every day to people's lives there.

What does a ride consist of?
Each of the regional rides will be a full day of riding with breaks in the morning and afternoon and a lunch break. The rides will be thoroughly planned and tested. On the day, the ride will be led and stewarded by an experienced team with first aid and mechanical support.

How much do the rides cost?
As usual we will have different rates depending on rider income. Each day ride is priced per rider at:

Solidarity rate - £20
Standard rate - £15
Low income rate - £10

What is included in the ride cost?
We are a small organisation run entirely by volunteers. Ride costs are priced as low as possible and just cover the cost of running The Big Ride (publicity, insurance etc) and a small amount for morning and afternoon breaks. Lunch is not included. Many regions will be organising food or an event after the ride which is completely separate from the central ride booking.

How many rides can I sign up for?
You can sign up for a ride on each of the three weekends - and we encourage you to do so. You will have to make a separate booking for each different ride though. However you can include up to four people on each of your bookings as long as everyone is riding at the same price rate.

How hard are the rides?
The rides involve riding all day so they are bound to be a challenge! If you practice riding regularly and build up your riding starting now, you should be able to manage one of our rides. The rides are about solidarity, not a race. Our rides are generally around 35-45 miles depending on location and terrain. It is very important that you are able to ride a bike and that you practice so that you are confident in managing the distance and bear in mind that most routes will include some hills!

Do I need my own bike?
Yes! The Big Ride for Palestine is a volunteer organisation with a focus raising awareness about Palestine and raising funds for our charities. We do not have the capacity to provide bikes so it is very important that you have your own and make sure that it is well maintained and serviced regularly.

How about fundraising?

We really want people to fundraise for Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA) and Gaza Sunbirds and encourage all our riders to set up fundraising pages. As the ride costs are low this year and the situation in Gaza is so critical, we are hoping that riders and supporters will go all out with the fundraising. Scroll down the page to read more about our fundraisers or click on this link to jump to the fundraising section.

This summer we will be fundraising for Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA) our long term partner in Palestine and once again for Gaza Sunbirds.