by Sam Hawcroft
Hedon families are being invited to make plenty of noise as the Tour of Britain races through the town next month.
Stage three of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men will start in Hull on Friday, September 4, before heading into the East Riding and along the coast, taking in Hedon, Withernsea and Hornsea, then moving inland through Driffield and Sledmere before finishing in Beverley.
To mark the occasion, Hedon Methodist Church & Community Hub is organising a Bike Bling & Noise-Maker Fanfare to bring families together and help create a lively atmosphere as the riders pass through.
The free event will take place at Hedon Methodist Church, Church Lane, from 9.30am to 10.30am, when children and families will be able to decorate bikes, trikes and scooters ready for the race.
There will also be free refreshments, bike decorating and crafting, free noisemakers including wooden football clackers and metal cowbells, and prizes for the best-decorated bikes.
Afterwards, the group will parade to Baxtergate, where they will line the route, show off their creations and cheer on the riders as they race through the town.
Community manager Seonaid Atkinson said: “We wanted to create something that families could really get involved in and make the Tour of Britain passing through Hedon a memorable occasion for our community.
“The riders will pass through very quickly, so we want to make sure that, for those few moments, Hedon makes plenty of noise and shows just how much community spirit we have.”
The event has been made possible through support from the Mayor’s Community Fund, which has helped the church and community hub stage the free celebration.
Preparations are also continuing in Withernsea, where mayor Cllr Kristina Richardson said she had been working with community leaders Darren and Marie England to gather bunting and flags, with support from local shops. Withernsea Town Council’s grounds team will install decorations in the run-up to the day.
Cllr Richardson has also partnered with Laura Lazenby, of Personal 4 U Event Decor, to install balloon decorations, with an additional feature being created by local resident Leah Masters.
She said there had also been wider support from Blue Light Weekend and Town SMART, which has been working to spruce up the town, with particular focus on the route. Cllr Jon Dimberline has also helped gain temporary permission to decorate the vacant Betfred and Coral shops in Queen Street.
Meanwhile, advisory signs have also gone up right along the route, warning of possible delays between 10am and 1pm on Friday, September 4. Motorists and people travelling by public transport are being advised to check before they set off.
The stage will cover just over 120 miles from Hull to Beverley, with full route and timing details available via East Riding Council and British Cycling.