This September, the world's first fundraising Hydrobikeathon is taking place on Lough Erne.

This innovative charity fundraising initiative is the brainchild of the Erne Adventures team in Fermanagh in an effort to provide charities with an alternative fundraising platform.

Starting from the Broadmeadow Jetty, Enniskillen, on Friday, September 8, the event will see sponsored hydrobikers continuously pedal around the island town over a 24 hour period concluding at 5pm on Saturday, September 9 and all in aid of their favourite charity.

Single entries or teams of up to four people can participate as a relay to pedal for as many pounds as they can possibly raise for their chosen charity.

Peter Bradshaw, founder of Erne Adventures and the Hydrobikeathon initiative said of the event: “Charities are experiencing very tough times at present, funding is very uncertain and any monies that can be raised to support the charity sector is always worthwhile. This is a unique fundraiser and the first ever Hydrobikeathon in the world! We hope it will present charities with a new opportunity to raise much-needed funds.

He continued: “In order to enter, participants can download a form from the Erne Adventures website www.erneadventures.com or collect a form from Castle Archdale Boat Hire. Here you can also view the terms and conditions of the event.

"We have a criteria for entry which will be used to select participants, as we have a limited number of hydrobikes for the event. In particular we will be looking for entries that can clearly demonstrate who their chosen charity is, community involvement and fundraising targets."

The entry fee for participation in the event is £200, this fee will be donated in full by Erne Adventures to the Cancer Fund for Children. Entry deadline is June 19, 2023. Successful applicants will then be contacted for full payment to secure their teams participation in this inaugural Hydrobikeathon.

Mr. Bradshaw concluded: “Ultimately the main goal is to raise as much money as possible for great causes. However, we do love a competitive streak, so we are also introducing our Island Lap Record, which will celebrate the team with the highest number of laps completed within the 24 hours period. We are also actively encouraging teams to come in fancy dress, wear a uniform that is work or school related, or team strip if it’s a sports club.

"We are delighted to bring this first Hydrobikeathon to Enniskillen and look forward to raising lots of funds for several charities."