Local businesses support popular East Lancashire cycling event

Businesses from across East Lancashire are once again backing the extremely popular Colne Grand Prix event, which takes place on Tuesday 23rd July in Colne Town Centre.

Fort Vale, world leaders in the design and manufacture of valves and fittings for transportable tanks, have again been named main sponsors of the event including being sponsors of the Men’s Elite Race and brand new for 2024, the Women’s Elite Race.

The Simonstone-based company have a long and successful history with the event, with many of their Apprentices also keen cyclists.

Also supporting the event is Riggs Autopack (Spring For Success sponsor), Coalition Facilities Management (Youth Race sponsor), John Macadam & Son (barrier sponsor) and Hope Technology.

Many other local businesses are also getting involved in the Colne Grand Prix, as programme and barrier sponsors including David Fishwick, The Fun House of Colne, Pennine Fire & Safety Ltd and many more.

The Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix, organised by Colne Town Council and CDPP (Cycling Development Pendle Partnership) and which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, is a closed-road 830m circuit around Colne’s one-way system.

The Men’s and Women’s Elite races are both part of the British Cycling National Circuit Series, with some of the best cyclists in the country set to visit Colne.

The racing will get underway at 5:45pm with the Coalition Facilities Management Youth Race, which takes place before the Riggs Autopack Support Race at 6:25pm. The eagerly anticipated Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix Women’s Race will then get underway at 7:20pm, before the grand finale and the Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix Men’s Elite Race at 8:20pm.

Len Woffindin, event organiser, said: “It’s our 20th anniversary, so it is a big year for us and more so because we are running the National Series Women’s event, as well as the Men’s, so we are really happy to be making a big splash out of this year.”

Peter Hakin, apprentice trainer manager at headline sponsors Fort Vale Engineering Ltd, said: “We are extremely excited to be involved again as the main sponsors. With it being the 20th anniversary, we are expecting to see large crowds and it’s superb to see so many people coming to support the event.”

Kelly Armstrong, Wilson Fort Sports Centre Manager at Fort Vale Engineering Ltd, said: “It’s a really good opportunity for women and girls to get involved within the sport, especially with it being the 20th anniversary, so it’s good to see that they are putting these events on now, bringing it in line with the male races as well.”

Jordan Snape, General Manager at Riggs Autopack, said: “I am a keen cyclist myself, I love how it brings thousands of people to the town to spectate, businesses are open late and these races, I’ve been to a few of them before, they are a really good atmosphere and we are really looking forward to it.

“It’s really big for the town, we have a lot of employees at Riggs who are from the Colne area, so it means a lot to everyone.”

Mark Howlett, Sales Manager at Riggs Autopack, said: “It was a great event last year and seeing everyone there, all the participants and the general public coming together to see the guys racing through the streets is brilliant.”

David Harrison, Account Manager at Coalition Facilities Management, said: “It is great to sponsor the Youth Race which is inspiring for the next generation, and it is also a fantastic event to be involved in as a community.”

Nick Peacock, Operations Manager at John Macadam & Son, said: “It is great to see families coming out into town, it’s great for local businesses as well, and getting top class cyclists to come to our town is just a great event for the community and the town centre.”

For more information on the Colne Grand Prix, please visit www.britishcycling.org.uk or https://www.cdpp.org.uk/events/fort-vale-colne-grand-prix-2024/