Milk Stout is a well-known traditional British drink
The Milk Race used to be a National Bicycle Race, similar to the Tour de France (but without the garlic?). The combination of these two phenomena is how a charity bike ride, organised by Nidderdale pub regulars, came to be named the Great Milk (Stout) Ride.
Total to Macmillan so far is over £371,220
Year
No of riders
Total raised
Year
No of riders
Total raised
1993
29
£1350
2003
250
£26,021
1994
69
£3700
2004
310
£30,000
1995
177
£10,695
2005
401
£35,000
1996
210
£11,500
2006
508
£45,000
1997
271
£20,000
2007
400
£42,500
1998
300
£20,000
2008
351
£40,000
1999
330
£24,000
2000
270
£25,000
2001
275
£21,397
2002
165
£15,060
The idea was born out of a challenge to see who could raise the most money for charity among the regulars at the Birch Tree Inn, Wilsill, way back in 1993. It was decided to donate the money raised to Macmillan Cancer relief, whose nurses provide support and care to cancer sufferers and as a memorial to a local Glasshouses man (and friend) John Woodhouse, who had recently died from cancer and whose family had received great support from Macmillan.
Since the year of 1993, there has been a substantial growth in both riders and funds raised. The only exception to this was in 2002 when the ride was affected by the repercussions of the Foot and Mouth epidemic
that ravaged vast regions of England.
