Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. I am Revd Dr Clifford Owen, a retired Church of England minister and currently one of the Day Chaplains at Ely Cathedral.

I have been a keen cyclist all my life, accomplishing many long-distance rides over the last thirty years, most of which have been sponsored for good causes. In August 2023, I completed the ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats for the fourth time.

The Challenge:

This year, at the age of 81, I will ride the ‘West to East’ from St. David’s to Lowestoft in aid of Ely Cathedral.

Starting from St David’s on Saturday 27 April, I will be cycling 400 miles east, in hopes of reaching Lowestoft on Sunday 5 May. The route will include Ely Cathedral, where I plan to make a brief stop for lunch on Saturday 4th May.

The Charity:

Ely Cathedral is a magnificent building, often referred to one of the finest Cathedral’s in Europe. However, it costs £10,000 a day to care for and conserve the fabric, maintain daily worship, continue with the tradition of choral music and carry out their contemporary mission of education, outreach, and care.

The Cathedral is financially well managed but relies on the kindness and generosity of people’s donations to support their work. They need your vital support more than ever to allow the many valuable spheres of Ely Cathedral to thrive; to safeguard this impressive building, deliver inspirational experiences and nurture a compassionate community for future generations.

My relationship with Ely Cathedral:

I first became aware of Ely in my trainspotting youth when I spotted the Cathedral on the famous LNER railway poster ‘Ely: It’s Quicker by Rail’. When I went to Cambridge University Engineering Faculty in 1962, our tutor told us to make sure we went and visited Cambridge’s surrounding sights, especially Ely Cathedral. The Engineering Faculty had a stress upon structural engineering, and we were told that the medieval lantern at the Cathedral needed to be viewed from the top to see what an amazing structure it was.

In 1968, when I was teaching at HMS GANGES I brought a party of Junior Seamen, all smartly dressed in their sailor suits, to see the Cathedral.

But little did I realise that in my retirement years, I would have the joy of being a volunteer Day Chaplain. So do please spare a few pounds for ‘The Ship of the Fen’s’. It is a marvellous aid to our mission and ministry and a source of inspiration for thousands.

Thank you for your support!

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