This year's epic challenge will see the members and friends of Birtley AC run in a 136 mile continuous relay from York to Birtley to support the work of The People's Kitchen

The relay will start at 12pm on 15th June at York Castle and follow National Cycle Routes through Yorkshire, Teesside, County Durham and Newcastle, calling at the People’s Kitchen before heading to the finish at Birtley Golf Club some 24 hours or so later.

MAKING LIFE BETTER FOR VULNERABLE PEOPLE

The ways our Friends are forced to live are incredibly hard. They might be sleeping rough, or recently placed in housing with no belongings. Many of them don’t have access to nutritious food or have no support system around them. The People’s Kitchen is their safe haven. We are a constant for people whose lives can be chaotic.

We make life on the streets a little easier by sharing hot meals and packages of clothing, toiletries, food, mobile phones and sleeping bags. We work with services to enable people to move off the streets and then we provide food, furniture and bedding to our Friends when they move into their first home. We also offer friendship and professional services to improve mental wellbeing.

"Being warm, clean, clothed, fed and having someone to talk to, is something so many of us take for granted, but for many of our Friends that is just not the case.

The People's Kitchen provides a safe space for our Friends to have a hot meal, a warm drink and use the bathroom.

We are open 365 days, serving 250-300 meals each day. We operate entirely with volunteers and receive no government funding.

We rely on the generosity of the public to raise the funds we need - please support us so we can support others."