The 2026 ride is complete! 1,115 kilometres from Hagerstown to Marietta — ride done, vision alive. Read the full report →

Ride complete · July 2026 · 1,115 km riddenSee the report →

Ride for hope. Build something lasting.

Cycle for Hope is a mission-driven cycling journey stretching back to Africa in 2009. In 2026, the team rode 1,115 kilometres down the East Coast of America to help fund the Yakaar Football Centre in Senegal.

2009
Founded
6
Major rides
£12,000+
Raised in 2026
1,115 km
USA journey
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The Cycle for Hope team celebrates completing the ride
Ride complete · July 2026

The ride is done. The vision lives on.

The team completed 1,115 kilometres from Hagerstown, Maryland to Marietta, Georgia — through heat, hills, and rain — riding for the Yakaar Football Centre in Senegal.

1,115
Kilometres ridden
19
Days on the road
5
States crossed
100+
Photos in the report
How It Started

How it started

Cycle for Hope was sparked by a historic moment — the first FIFA World Cup held on African soil in 2010. Robert Cuthbert, from Northern Ireland, had grown up in Africa and wanted to reach beyond South Africa where the World Cup was being held and share the message of hope in Jesus.

What was seemingly just a crazy idea turned into a 6-month expedition down Africa. A core team of 10 cyclists completed the full route, while around 40 others joined along the way for different stages. Together, they experienced the richness of African cultures firsthand, met thousands of people, and had opportunities to share their faith — at churches, events, and even on national TV and radio.

That first journey laid the foundation for what Cycle for Hope is today.

15+
Years of impact
25+
Countries ridden
1000s
Lives touched
Cycle for Hope — Since 2009
The journey that started it all
The journey that started it

Africa, 2010 — where it all began.

Community at the heart of Cycle for Hope
Community at the heart

The people who make it all worthwhile.

Timeline

From Africa to America

A real story, built over years, carrying the same heartbeat into a new season.

The vision begins
2009

The vision begins

The original Cycle for Hope idea was born, sparked by the first World Cup on African soil.

Africa expedition
2010

Africa expedition

A remarkable cycling journey through Africa laid the foundation for everything that followed.

Northern Ireland to Poland
2012

Northern Ireland to Poland

Cycle for Hope continued into Europe during the European Championships.

Around Ireland
2014

Around Ireland

A home-grown World Cup journey that kept the mission moving.

Northern Ireland to France
2016

Northern Ireland to France

The Euros provided the backdrop for another chapter of endurance and witness.

Northern Senegal
2025

Northern Senegal

A fresh expression of the journey, tied closely to football ministry in Senegal.

USA 2026 ✓
2026

USA 2026 ✓

1,115 kilometres from Hagerstown, Maryland to Marietta, Georgia, raising more than £12,000 for the Yakaar Football Centre.

Cycle for Hope USA 2026

Hagerstown to Marietta

From 30 June to 18 July, 1,115 kilometres across five states became far more than a physical challenge: a journey of faith, friendship and shared purpose.

📍
Start
Hagerstown, MD
🏁
Finish
Marietta, GA
🚴
Distance
1,115 kilometres
🎯
Raised
£12,000+
Raised through USA 2026£12,000+
Final total · thank you to every supporterRide complete
The 2026 team
The Cuthbert Family
The Cuthbert Family
Founding team
The Lucas Family
The Lucas Family
Riders
Keith Calvin
Keith Calvin
Rider
Amy Wethers
Amy Wethers
Rider
Reuben Finlay
Reuben Finlay
Rider
Ben McDowell
Ben McDowell
Rider
The route

Maryland to Georgia

The completed 1,115-kilometre journey followed recorded rides through Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

MDVANCSCGAHagerstownMDVirginiaVANorth CarolinaNCSouth CarolinaSCMariettaGA
Start: Hagerstown, MD
End: Marietta, GA

Five-state journey

01
Maryland
The journey begins · 30 June
02
Virginia
South through the heat and hills
03
North Carolina
Riding and resting with host communities
04
South Carolina
The final push towards Georgia
05
Georgia
Marietta finish · 18 July
Distance
1,115
kilometres · 5 states
Duration
19
days · 30 Jun–18 Jul

Ride completed — July 2026

The team cycled all 1,115 kilometres, made possible by churches, ministries and families who opened their doors with meals, accommodation, showers and extraordinary generosity.

Read the journey story
The project

The Yakaar Football Centre Project

Transforming a sandy, dusty pitch in Senegal into a high-quality artificial turf field — the Yakaar Football Centre — that will serve young people, schools, camps, and the wider community for years to come.

🛡️

Safer playing surface

Artificial turf replaces the dusty, uneven sandy ground — reducing injuries and enabling year-round play.

⚽

Better development

Consistent conditions allow for improved training programmes and skill development for young players.

🏆

Larger events

A quality pitch opens the door to bigger camps, tournaments, and regional competitions.

🤝

Community hub

The pitch becomes a shared space for schools, churches, women's sport, and community gatherings.

As the ministry continues to grow, the need for better facilities becomes more urgent. Cycle for Hope USA 2026 raised more than £12,000 towards the remaining £100,000 needed to complete the project. Donations are still open.

Before
The current conditions before the pitch is built
The vision
The vision for the Yakaar Football Centre in Senegal
64%funded
Total project cost
£280,000
£180,000 raised so far
£100,000 still needed to complete the centre
Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors

We're grateful to everyone who partnered with Cycle for Hope USA 2026 and helped make the journey possible.

Cycle for Hope in action
Our sponsors
Massey Catering Equipment
Nelson - Singleton
Get involved

Stand with the journey

Whether you give, sponsor, pray, or ride with us next time — every expression of support brings the vision one step closer.

Give

Support the vision

Every contribution helps bring the Yakaar Football Centre closer to reality and supports a long-term vision of football, faith, and community impact in Senegal.

🇬🇧
UK donors

Gift Aid increases your donation by 25% at no extra cost to you.

Donate (UK)
🌍
International donors

GivingSpace accepts donations securely from anywhere in the world.

Give internationally

Where does the money go?

100% of donations fund the Yakaar Football Centre in Senegal — a £280,000 project run by Yakaar, a faith-based sports ministry. Cycle for Hope USA 2026 raised more than £12,000 towards the remaining £100,000 needed. UK donations are processed securely through PayHere. International donations through TrustBridge GivingSpace.

Join the journey

How would you like to help?

The 2026 ride is complete — but the mission continues. We'd love to hear from you if you'd like to support the Senegal Pitch Project or get involved in a future journey.

Cycle for Hope — the journey
FAQ

Questions you might have

Can't find the answer you need? Email us directly.