Following the tragic death of David Rayner in 1994 Dudley Hayton and Colin Wilcock contacted other friends, resulting in the founding of the Dave Rayner Fund on the 12th January 1995 with the main object of raising money to enable promising young racing cyclists to spend time abroad to develop their talents in a true cycling environment. Also a memorial stone was unveiled at the cyclist’s mecca of Gargrave on the 9th July 1995.
The Fund organises sponsored rides and other fund raising efforts. The principal event is the annual dinner with celebrities such as Tour de France star Miguel Indurain raising approximately £30,000 in 2003.
In total 104 riders have been helped since 1995 including Charly Wegelius, Jamie Burrow, Russell Downing, Yanto Barker and particularly David miller (Cofidis) who became World Time Trial Campion in Canada in 2003.
The hard working committee members of the fund are Dudley Hayton (Chairman), Colin Wilcock, Billy Holmes, Keith Lambert, Jonny Clay, Derek Smith, Sid Barrass, Graham Baxter, Bernard Burns and Chris Walker.
These superb achievements have brought worldwide recognition, bringing much honour for Yorkshire.
29th February 2004