The RMH Ride for Sick Kids is celebrating its 10th year and aiming to raise $200,000 to be directed into providing care and hospitality for children and families currently battling serious illness. 

The considerable milestone was helped along on Monday, August 25, when Ross Hill donated more than $11,000 to support the ride, helped along by a $2500 donation from Inverell Cycle and Tri and a further $665 donated by NORCO Inverell, rounding out a significant local contribution to just under $15,000. 

The healthy help-along followed a long weekend of fundraising led by local three-man band Brother Fox putting a well-attended performance at the Union Bar on Friday evening.

“This is the fourth year we have held an event over the 10 years,” co-ordinator and McDonald’s franchisee Juli-anne Rodger told the Times.

“It was wonderful and Brother Fox is such a drawcard.” 

Drawing together a percussive pop sound that Mrs Rodgers said got the crowd on its feet in a relaxed and informal weekend event, the local performers held an excellent crowd throughout evening with funds from a successful silent auction coupling with spontaneous donations all in support of the cause.

Playing to a crowd of more than 100 locals of all ages, Brother Fox front man Tim Orchard said it was a great night topping the fundraising goal by more than $1000.

“It was a brilliant night,” Mr Orchard said, joined by Ms Rodgers in dubbing Inverell an excellent community for getting behind community events

“Everyone got behind the cause with the silent auction and we even had people just coming up and donating,” she said. 

The team of cyclists travelled by bus to Glen Innes yesterday after making presentations to rapt Ross Hill students where they mounted up and hit the road, expected to arrive in Coffs Harbour, Port Mac-quarie and Forster over the coming week before pulling in to the Ronald McDonald House in Newcastle.