East Midlands Universities Air Squadron set their sights on the Dambusters Ride

This Spring, members of East Midlands Universities Air Squadron will be taking part in the Dambusters Ride, a 60- and 100-mile cycle fundraiser raising money for the RAF Benevolent Fund, the RAF's leading welfare charity.

The Dambusters Ride consists of two elements: a Virtual Ride on the weekend of 7-8 May, and a physical Heritage Ride in Lincolnshire on 14 May. Cyclists from East Midlands Universities Air Squadron will once again be taking part this year, having completed both rides in 2021. 

The Squadron is looking to enter a strong team for 2022, this year led by Officer Cadet Sophie Davies. 22-year-old Harrison Juhasz, who studies at Loughborough University and has been with East Midlands Universities Air Squadron for three years, took part in last year's Virtual Ride and will be joining again this year.

Harrison said: "I'm always keen to do what I can for charity, and I began cycling regularly during lockdown, so the 2021 Dambusters Ride seemed like the perfect challenge. Eight of us took part in the Virtual Ride which was brilliant. The Squadron and team leader Officer Cadet Cameron Brown did a fantastic job to organise training rides and encourage the Squadron to get involved.

"The RAF Benevolent Fund's work is truly inspiring, and the breadth of support is so important to so many members of the RAF Family. I look forward to the challenge of the ride again in 2022 and I am sure there will be plenty of others from the Squadron eager to help support the Fund and challenge themselves in taking part in this great event!" 

For more information and to register for the Dambusters Ride, please visit rafbf.org/ride.

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The Dambusters Ride pays tribute to the members of the RAF's 617 Squadron who were assembled to bomb three dams in Germany's Ruhr Valley on the night of 16-17 May 1943 – also known as Operation Chastise. It was a risky raid, dropping the revolutionary bouncing bomb at low level, and the cost was high. Of 133 crew who left, only 53 returned.

The RAF Benevolent Fund provides financial, emotional, and practical assistance to serving and retired RAF personnel and their families. This includes grants to help with financial difficulty, free memberships for Headspace, Airplay youth clubs, and more. 

Lisa Hunt, Regional Fundraiser at the RAF Benevolent Fund, added: "The Dambusters Ride was an enormous success in 2021, raising nearly £200,000 for the Fund. We want this year's event to be even bigger, so we're calling on our supporters and any eager cyclists to join the 2022 challenge. If you're unable to make it to Lincolnshire for the main event on Saturday 14 May, please consider signing up for the Virtual Ride, which will allow you to complete your miles in any other location over the weekend of 7-8 May instead." 

East Midlands Universities Air squadron is made up of students from De Montfort, Leicester, Lincoln, Loughborough, Nottingham and Nottingham Trent Universities.