Hebburn local pulling out all the stops for festival-style 24 hour bike fundraiser to unite community

A popular Hebburn local is combining fitness with food, fun, music and even bouncy castles in a bid to raise money for charity and bring the community together later this month.

Karleigh Wright opened her own fitness centre in the town in March having spent the last decade working as a dancer on cruise ships.

KW Fitness is a real passion project for the bubbly instructor, who told NewcastleWorld earlier this year: "I'm not here to be a millionaire, I just want to put my stamp down and make people feel good about themselves."

The latest project on that mission comes on Saturday, September 17 with a 24-hour assault bike challenge.

The fundraiser, which begins at 11 am on the Saturday and finishes at 11 am on the Sunday, will raise money for two charities close to Karleigh's heart.

The first is SURT, a charity that strives to battle abusive relationships, set up after a rise of incidents during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The second is Hebburn Helps, a food bank in the town that aids those suffering from the cost of living crisis and those in need.

Karleigh said: "That's what I'm all about, building people's confidence. The charities are close to a lot of people's hearts and I've had friends who have been in abusive relationships and had serious consequences that have happened as a result of that.

"It's going to be just normal, ordinary people taking part - and people have signed up their husbands too! You can get the whole family involved and get a bit competitive on it. I want people to come along to watch and jump on the bike - if you wanted to stay in the middle of the night that's when we need the most support.

"I'm doing it all pretty much by myself, chasing up everyone and anyone. It's about raising money, but also to bring the community together without paying a ticket price. It's all a bit of fun! Hopefully it inspires people to get up and do more as well."

There promises to be a festival feel about the day with prizes, food, music, face painting and more.

The full line-up motivating athletes includes: The Gourmet Burger Van, 505 Pizza, KW BBQ, Allure Beauty Salon, Graceful Serenity by Stacey, Forever Balanced, PJ Bouncy Castles, The Ace of Face, Ana Munoz Saiz, Jessica Grace Music and Gin Soaked Floor.

You can support the 24 hour bike challenge with a donation here.