Family days out discovering Hampshire’s historic churches
Once a year chance to enter churches and chapels to explore their history
Did you know that just once, every year, over 300 of Hampshire’s most historic and beautiful churches are open to families? Many have refreshments, some have guides and all will allow you and your children to discover beauty, art and local history inside and out.
WHAT IS RIDE AND STRIDE?
Ride+Stride Day on Saturday 14th September 2024 is a great family day out when you can take a sponsored journey between Hampshire’s participating churches and your opportunity to see more, learn more and make new friends.
You and your family to discover our rich heritage, see glorious Hampshire countryside, get some exercise travelling between churches and have fun with friends and family alike.
Would your children like to try and find:
- Unusual churches like the Tin Tabernacle in the woods near Ropley?
- The church where the real Alice in Alice of Wonderland fame is buried?
- The church where Jane Austen was born?
- England’s oldest alms house, Hospital of Saint Cross which dates from 1136 and featured in Wolf Hall?
- The church with a pathway to its tower made up of tombstones which lie like stepping stones in the grass?
- Or the churchyard where Sherlock Holmes’ creator is buried with his pipe?
HOW TO TAKE PART
Just decide how many churches you would like to visit, choose your mode of transport, on foot, bicycle, scooter, horseback, canoe, bus or car and get sponsored using GoodHub
- We expect there to be over 300 churches, chapels and meeting houses open, you can have fun choosing which will be part of your journey. You’ll meet cyclists, riders and walkers along the way and can visit the churches from morning to late afternoon.
- Most churches will have people eager to show their church and tell its story and offer you a warm welcome.
- As Hampshire has over 900 churches please check here to see which will be open on the day, which will have refreshments and loos open.
Last year Ride+Stride in Hampshire raised over £50,000 including Gift Aid to help restore Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Quaker and United Reformed places of worship for our children.
The money raised helps to fund repairs to the historic fabric and features of the church as well as urgent repairs such as leaky roofs as well as adding loos and kitchens to make Hampshire’s historic churches, chapels and meeting houses fit to serve local communities for future generations.
Hampshire and the Islands Historic Churches Trust is a non-denominational charity which raises funds towards the upkeep of some 900 historic church buildings dating from the 8th to the 20th century. Since 1988, HIHCT has provided grants, conservatively estimated at £1.25 million, to help repair, restore and maintain churches, their contents and churchyards. About 300 churches, chapels and meeting houses have benefitted so far.