‘Fantastic boost’ for Dave Rayner Fund as organisation given charitable status
The fund supports young riders racing in Europe
The Dave Rayner Fund has received a “fantastic boost” as the organisation has been given charitable status.
Established in 1995, the fund has helped young riders, including Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), with financial support that allows them to race in Europe in pursuit of a professional cycling career.
Other riders who have benefitted through the organisation’s work include Tao Geoghegan Hart (Team Ineos), Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM) and EF Education Sports director Tom Southam.
The Dave Rayner Fund has now been granted charitable status by the Charity Commission and will change its name to The Rayner Foundation.
Founding member of the fund and the team manager for the British under-23 squad, Keith Lambert, said: “Being awarded charitable status has been a brilliant achievement and will ensure we can further enable riders to progress in the sport of competitive cycling, whether that is on the bike or off it.
“The assistance we are able to provide is financial, but it also takes the form of advice, mentoring and mental support to inspire, empower and support the next generation of athletes so they can achieve to the best of their ability.
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“We hope this fantastic boost for the fund will help us to encourage more women and riders from under-represented groups to engage in the sport.”
Dave Rayner was a professional cyclist in the late 1980s and early 1990s, who went on to race for the Dutch Buckler team, and was one of the only Brits to flourish outside the UK.
In 1994, Rayner was the victim of an assault during a night out with his friends and new wife Serena, who he had married five weeks earlier, in Bradford and he died in hospital four days later.
The fund was set up in his memory in 1995 and has raised more than £1million through its annual dinner and other activities.
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As a charity, the foundation will receive greater public recognition plus financial benefits including Gift Aid, tax exemptions and access to funding for charities.
The Dave Rayner Annual Dinner will take place at the Royal Armouries in Leeds on Saturday, November 23, where Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) will be the guest of honour.
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Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
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