MKRUFC Ring of Fire Bike Ride

22/09/2026

🎉 Ring of Fire 10th Anniversary Raffle! 🎉

Our raffle will be drawn on 9th October at 9PM! 🏆

We’ve got some amazing prizes up for grabs, so don’t miss out! 🎟️

Tickets are available on the night or over the bar at MKRUFC. Only £1 Per Ticket.

Good luck! 🤞🔥

22/09/2026

🔥 Ring of Fire 10th Anniversary Dinner & Auction 🔥

Join us on 9th October for our special 10th Anniversary Auction!

Can’t make it on the night for dinner but want to bid? Leave a commission bid by emailing [email protected].

Good luck and happy bidding! 🏆

15/09/2026

Rider Profile — James “Pickles” Pickles
James “Pickles” Pickles joined the Ring of Fire in 2024, taking on the challenge of cycling from Paris to Milton Keynes.

For someone who wasn’t a serious cyclist, it was always going to be a tough ask. The hills, the distance and the sheer physical demand pushed Pickles to his limits. At one point, it all became too much — an emotional breakdown on the side of the road left him questioning whether he could carry on.

But he did.

Pickles made it to the finish line with one thing firmly in his mind: lose a few kilos, get fit and come back stronger.

And what happened next was remarkable.
He got on the bike. He put the work in. He shed 25KG and transformed himself physically and mentally. The man who had struggled to get through Paris to MK returned ready to take on something far bigger.

The Pyrenees.

One of the hardest challenges in Ring of Fire history — huge climbs, relentless gradients and temperatures reaching 38°C.

And Pickles took it on.

The transformation is about far more than cycling. It shows exactly what the Ring of Fire can do. It pushes people beyond what they think they’re capable of, creates a reason to change and gives them the motivation to become healthier, fitter, and stronger.

From an emotional breakdown on the roadside in 2024 to battling the Pyrenees in 38-degree heat — Pickles is living proof that Ring of Fire changes lives.

Not just the lives of the people we ride for, but the lives of the people who take part.

14/09/2026

🔥 JUST WHEN WE THOUGHT WE COULDN’T SQUEEZE ANY MORE INTO 2026… 🔥

Then Daredevil Donna joined the team! ✈️😱

Donna is the newest member of the Ring of Fire team, and it turns out she has a bit of a wild side! She certainly talks the talk… but can she wing walk?! 😂

On 10 October, weather permitting, Donna will be taking on a challenge that is well and truly outside her comfort zone — her FIRST EVER WING WALK! 🛩️🔥

And here’s the really important bit… ❤️

Donna has completely self-funded this crazy adventure, which means the money she raises can go towards UnityMK, a local homeless charity that she already gives her time to as a volunteer.

So now it’s over to us! 🙌

Please get behind Daredevil Donna, show her some support and, if you can, make a donation. Every pound will help make this slightly bonkers challenge worthwhile!

👇 Please click the link below to support Donna’s Wing Walk challenge.

https://localgiving.org/fundraising/Donna-s-Deardevil-Wing-Walk

And Donna… there’s still time to change your mind! 😂✈️🔥

MiltonKeynes CharityChallenge TeamDonna

12/09/2026

🛩️ Donna’s Wing Walk for UnityMK

On 10 October, weather permitting, I’ll be taking on a challenge that is well and truly outside my comfort zone — my FIRST EVER WING WALK!

I’ll be strapped to the top wing of a classic 1940s Boeing Stearman biplane, soaring through the sky to raise vital funds for UnityMK, a fantastic local charity supporting people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

UnityMK provides essential practical support to people in our community, including hot meals, shower facilities, housing support and guidance. Their work helps people through incredibly difficult circumstances, offering dignity, hope and the practical assistance they need to begin rebuilding their lives.

❤️ Why I need your support

I’m self-funding the full cost of the wing-walking experience, which means 100% of every donation will go directly to UnityMK and help support the important work they do.

Every donation, no matter how big or small, really does make a difference. And on a personal level, knowing that you’re supporting me will give me that extra bit of courage when I’m standing on top of that plane wondering what on earth I’ve signed myself up for!

If you’re unable to donate, please consider sharing my fundraising page with friends, family or colleagues. Every share can help spread the word and raise even more for this wonderful cause.

Thank you so much for your support, generosity and encouragement. It means more than you know.

Here’s to raising as much as possible for UnityMK — and to me being brave enough to get on that wing! 🛩️❤️

Donna x

https://localgiving.org/fundraising/Donna-s-Deardevil-Wing-Walk

09/09/2026

❤️🏆 A MOMENT OF PRIDE FOR OUR ESTEEMED LEADER, GARY SPINKS 🏆❤️

Today, we want to take a moment to celebrate someone truly special.

Our esteemed leader, Gary Spinks, has been nominated for ITV Anglia’s Fundraiser of the Year — and we honestly couldn’t think of anyone more deserving. ❤️

For the past 10 years, Gary has dedicated himself to raising money for causes that are incredibly close to his heart, supporting Motor Neurone Disease and hospice charities and helping countless people and families along the way.

But Gary doesn’t do it for recognition. He does it because he cares.

Challenge after challenge, mile after mile, event after event, he has continued to push himself and inspire those around him. And now, with an incredible £1 MILLION fundraising target within sight, his determination and commitment are nothing short of inspirational. 🙏

This nomination is about far more than an award. It is recognition of 10 years of selfless dedication, sacrifice, passion and compassion.

As a team, we are incredibly proud to stand alongside Gary and call him our leader. ❤️

👏 Gary, this nomination is so richly deserved.

Whatever the outcome, you have already achieved something truly remarkable — changing lives, supporting families and raising an incredible amount of money for causes that need it most.

Now let’s get behind Gary and show ITV just how much he means to us! 🏆❤️

🎥 Watch Gary’s incredible story on ITV News:
Watch the ITV News report⁠

GOOD LUCK, GARY! ❤️🏆
WE’RE ALL BEHIND YOU! 👏👏👏

Watch the latest from ITV News - Gary Spinks created a fundraising group 10 years ago, taking on numerous challenges. He has been nominated for ITV Anglia's Fundraiser of the Year award

08/09/2026

🔥 RING OF FIRE — DAY 4 🔥

Perpignan ➡️ Valras-Plage

And once again… the weather didn’t disappoint. A lovely, refreshing 30°C. 🥵😂

From the photos, you could be forgiven for thinking life on the bike is easy — big smiles, cold beers and beautiful scenery.

Believe me… it isn’t.

This has been, without question, the most challenging Ring of Fire yet. Four days of heat, hills, long miles, tired legs and plans that have been thrown out the window.

The smiles in the photos are real — but so are the aches, the exhaustion and the sheer determination it takes to keep turning those pedals.

And tonight, with just 10 miles left of Day 4, we are running on fumes.

The finish line is close.

The legs are screaming.

The bodies are broken.

But the team keeps pushing.

One last push. Then beers. 🍺

Tonight, we will sleep very, very well.

🔥 Ring of Fire 2026 — this one will be remembered. 🔥

ToughestRideYet KeepPedalling TeamROF OneLastPush

07/09/2026

🔥 RING OF FIRE — DAY 3: THE BIGGEST SWING SWANG YET 🔥

Foix ➡️ Perpignan… CANCELLED. 🚨🔥

The wildfires and road closures have put a stop to today’s planned route. The road ahead simply isn’t safe.

But has that stopped the ROF team? Absolutely not.

What followed was officially declared the BIGGEST SWING SWANG in Ring of Fire history — an unplanned adventure involving trains, bikes, kit, logistics and a fair amount of “what the hell are we doing now?” 😂

🚂 Team ROF boards the train in Foix.
➡️ Change trains in Toulouse.
🚂 Head south towards the new starting point: Narbonne.
🚐 Meanwhile, the incredible support crew swing into action, getting most of the bikes and kit moved to the new location.

Plans changed. Routes changed. The whole day changed.

But one thing didn’t…

THE SHOW MUST GO ON. 🔥

This is what Ring of Fire is all about. It’s not just about following a route on a map. It’s about the team, the adventure, the chaos, and finding a way forward when the best-laid plans go up in smoke. 🔥

Tomorrow, we ride again.

Narbonne — here we come.

The biggest swing swang yet… and somehow, we’re still rolling. 🚴‍♂️🔥🍻

TeamROF TheShowMustGoOn Narbonne

06/09/2026

🔥 RING OF FIRE — DAY 2 🔥

Limoux ➡️ Foix

Another day. Another 38°C. Another reminder that apparently we haven’t suffered enough yet. 🥵🚴‍♂️

Shorter miles today, but don’t let that fool you… the hills had other ideas. ⛰️🔥 Every climb seemed to come with another punch in the legs, and after yesterday’s 90-mile battle, the bodies were definitely feeling it.

It was tough. It hurt. There were moments when the finish line seemed a very long way away.

But somehow, we made it. 💪

And there’s no better feeling than rolling into the square, collapsing into a chair and hearing that first crack of a cold beer. 🍺 That first sip washing away the aches, pains and questionable decisions of the day.

But tomorrow…

Tomorrow could be something completely different. 🔥

Forest fires stand in our way. Roads may be closed, routes may have to change, and the plan could go completely out of the window.

This could be the biggest swing-swang yet. 😳

One thing is certain — the Ring of Fire isn’t finished with us yet.

Bring on tomorrow. 🔥🔥🔥

CyclingFamily RingOfFire Foix BringOnTomorrow

05/09/2026

RING OF FIRE 2026 🔥

The last ride of the year: Day 1 Valras-Plage to Limoux.

“Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun…” — and apparently one mad Frenchman too! 🇬🇧🇫🇷

A gentle 90 miles in 38°C heat. What could possibly go wrong? 😳🥵

Without doubt, that was by far our toughest challenge in 10 years of riding together. The heat was brutal, the distance relentless, and the final miles demanded everything we had.

The guys were absolutely amazing, having to dig deep to make it to the finish line. There are definitely a few broken bodies tonight! 😂💀

But we made it. Every single one of us. 💪

And now, sitting in the square in Limoux with a cold beer in hand, the pain is already starting to feel worth it. 🍻

What a way to finish Day 1. What a ride. What a team.

Ring of Fire 2026 — completed. 🔥🚴‍♂️🍺

RideOrDie CyclingFamily Limoux