Peter McVerry Trust, the national housing and homeless charity is asking members of the public to sign up to a new virtual fundraising cycle event. It comes following the cancellation of the charity’s largest fundraising event for the year, the Wexford Cycle, which usually raises €250,000.

This year, in response to the ongoing COIVID-19 crisis, Peter McVerry Trust launched a new virtual cycle event, allowing people to cycle any distance, anywhere they want. The traditional Wexford Cycle route in 140km, but people are being invited to cycle as much as they can, over as many days as they like. The charity is hoping to get over 300 people to sign up before the 30th of September and raise vital funds to support Peter McVerry Trust’s work around the country.

Pat Doyle CEO of Peter McVerry Trust, said “It has obviously been a very tough year, and for charities like ourselves we’ve had to cancel all events since March. The Wexford Cycle is our biggest event with 350 – 500 people normally cycling the 140km route from Dublin to Wexford each year in September. Given the public health guidance, we’ve had to cancel the event. This cancellation on top of all of the other events that we’ve had to cancel since March of this year, means we are down hundreds of thousands in income that would normally go towards frontline delivery of our housing and homeless services.”

“We hope to be able to get over 300 people to sign up to the virtual event. Registration is only €25 and people will get a branded Wexford Cycle cycling jersey and medal for taking part. The benefit of this year’s event means that it doesn’t matter if you are in Donegal, Kerry, or Dublin you can still join our event, cycle whatever distance you can and help raise money to tackle homelessness.”

The charity is encouraging people to visit www.pmvtrust.ie to register and get more details of how to set up a personal fundraising page and receive their cycle jersey and medal.