Mayor of Chelmsford embarks on 1,000-mile cycle challenge for local charity
The Mayor of Chelmsford, Councillor Lynne Foster, has embarked on a 1,000-mile charity cycle challenge, running from 19 July 2026 until the end of her mayoral term on 19 May 2027.
The initiative aims to raise money for Springfield Furniture Bank, the mayor’s chosen charity for 2026/27. The mayor hopes to raise £1,000 by the end of the challenge – £1 for every mile cycled.
The 72-year-old will be tracking her challenge progress over the next ten months via a popular exercise tracking app. To meet her target, she’ll need to cycle roughly 35 miles per week. In the first week of the challenge – from 19 to 26 July – the mayor has cycled 45 miles, with many more yet to come!
About Springfield Furniture Bank
Every year, each newly elected Mayor of Chelmsford chooses a charity to raise funds for over the course of their mayoral term. Often these fundraising activities include group walks, afternoon teas and quiz nights. Mayor Foster is taking her year of fundraising a step further by embarking on this personal cycling challenge for her chosen charity, Springfield Furniture Bank.
This local volunteer-run charity collects unwanted furniture and household goods, providing essential items to people moving into a home with nothing – often following domestic abuse or homelessness.
The charity provides people with beds, white goods, curtains, bedlinen and other vital household items. It also runs a ‘bike shed’ scheme, which collects pre-loved bikes and supplies them to households in need, supporting families with limited means of transport to get around Chelmsford.
The mayor’s decision to support Springfield Furniture Bank as her chosen charity for the year was strongly influenced by her career in social housing, which saw her progress from managing hostels for vulnerable people to becoming a director at Chelmer Housing Partnership (CHP), now known as Delta Housing.
The Mayor of Chelmsford, Cllr Lynne Foster, said:
““Springfield Furniture Bank is an incredible organisation that provides essential furniture and support to families and individuals who have little and no funds to buy essential furniture and household goods including bedding.
Cllr Lynne Foster, Mayor of Chelmsford
“The need for assistance has never been greater. Many in our community struggle with basic necessities, and Springfield Furniture Bank is a beacon of hope for those rebuilding their lives.
“I invite you to join me on this journey by sponsoring my cycling challenge. Your generous donation will help us reach our target of £1,000 and ensure that Springfield Furniture Bank can continue its vital work. Every contribution counts and helps us pedal towards a brighter future together.”
How to contribute
If you are able and wish to sponsor the Mayor’s cycling challenge, you can donate via a dedicated JustGiving page.
In addition to the cycling challenge, the Mayor is fundraising for Springfield Furniture Bank through other activities and events, including an upcoming garden party afternoon tea at John Henry Keene Memorial Homes on Sunday 9 August. Tickets are available online.
A music event in October at The Black Bull pub on Rainsford Road will also fundraise for the charity, with a suggested donation of £10 for entry to an evening of live Jazz, Blues, Rock and Soul music.
Posters for upcoming fundraising events on behalf of the Mayor of Chelmsford.
