205 miles, two bridges and a family connected to the sea

On Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September 2026, I will be taking part in the Bridge-to-Bridge Challenge, cycling 205 miles over two days from the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge at Dartford to the Humber Bridge in Hull.

I am aiming to raise at least £1,000 for the Sailors’ Children’s Society, a national charity based in Hull that I have supported for a number of years.

Why I am riding

The Sailors’ Children’s Society provides financial, practical and emotional support to children and young people from seafaring families who are facing hardship or crisis.

This can include families affected by bereavement, illness, injury, unemployment, family breakdown or serious financial difficulty.

Since the Bridge-to-Bridge ride began in 2023, it has raised around £60,000. This year, the riders hope to raise more than £40,000 and take the event’s cumulative fundraising total beyond £100,000.

A serious personal challenge

The challenge will involve riding approximately 100 miles on each of two consecutive days.

I have completed many 100-mile rides, so I know what a century in the saddle feels like. What I have not done before is get back on the bike the following morning and ride another one.

Covering 205 miles over two days will therefore be a significant physical and mental challenge, requiring plenty of training, determination and, no doubt, a certain amount of discomfort.

Why this cause is especially close to my heart

Researching my family history has shown just how deeply both sides of my family were connected with the sea and the maritime life of Grimsby.

My great-great-grandfather, Andrew McUrich, served in the Coastguard, while his brother, Colbert Barclay McUrich, worked as a sailmaker in Grimsby.

On the Pinchbeck side of the family, Charles Henry Pinchbeck and Isaac Pinchbeck were tug engineers, while Walter Pinchbeck worked as a tug engineman at Grimsby Fish Docks.

The family’s connection with Grimsby’s fishing industry continued through John Herbert McUrich, who was a skipper aboard the Ross trawler Grimsby Town.

Two other members of the family, Edwin and Harry McUrich, were maritime engineers who lost their lives at sea during the Second World War.

Edwin lost his life in February 1941 while serving aboard HMT Ormonde, formerly the Grimsby trawler Ormonde GY162, which had been converted for wartime minesweeping duties.

Harry lost his life in November 1944 while serving aboard HM LCT(R) 457, a rocket-equipped landing craft that struck a mine off Ostend. The vessel sank with the loss of much of its crew.

These family connections have given me an even greater appreciation of the risks, sacrifices and uncertainty that have always formed part of earning a living at sea.

They have also brought home the devastating effect that bereavement, illness, injury or financial hardship can have on the children and families of seafarers.

That is why the work of the Sailors’ Children’s Society means so much to me.

Please support my ride

I have committed to raising at least £1,000, but I would very much like to exceed that target.

Every donation, whatever the amount, will help the Sailors’ Children’s Society continue supporting children from seafaring families when they need it most.

It will also give me some much-needed encouragement when the miles begin to accumulate—and particularly when I face the prospect of getting back on the bike for day two.

Please donate if you are able to do so. If you are unable to donate, sharing this page with friends, family or colleagues would also be greatly appreciated and could help me reach more people.

Thank you for your support.

James