'Jo Cox ride is everything my sister was about'

Kim Leadbeater says The Jo Cox Way ride is "everything" her sister was about

The sister of murdered MP Jo Cox says an annual bike ride, set up in the weeks after her death, has helped to keep her family going.

Now in its 10th year, the Jo Cox Way set off earlier, with more than 100 cyclists pedalling 290 miles from Yorkshire to London to remember the Batley and Spen MP, who was killed in 2016.

Participants raise money and awareness for the foundation named after the late politician, which works to tackle issues she was passionate about such as loneliness and isolation.

"It is heart-warming to think Jo's name is at the forefront of something so positive," said sister Kim Leadbeater, who is now MP for Spen Valley.

This year, riders are wearing the purple, white and green colours of the suffragettes to celebrate the women's suffrage movement.

They left Princess Mary Athletics Stadium in Cleckheaton just after 09:30 BST to cheers from crowds, including Ms Leadbeater.

"June and July is always an emotional time of year for us," Ms Leadbeater added.

"We remember Jo's murder and that is very difficult but what keeps us going is events like the Jo Cox Way bike ride.

"In the face of such dreadful tragedy, people came together and showed that we do have more in common than that which divides us."

Jo Cox was killed in 2016 on her way to a constituency surgery

Ms Cox was killed in Birstall on 16 June 2016, a week before the EU referendum vote.

She had been on her way to a constituency surgery when Thomas Mair shot and stabbed the mother-of-two.

He was jailed for life following the attack.

"Jo's murder still is unbelievable" Ms Leadbeater said.

"It is still very, very difficult to comprehend what happened but the amount of positive energy created under the most horrific circumstances certainly kept us going as a family."

Sam Foster is taking part in The Jo Cox Way ride for the first time

Of the 105 cyclists taking part, 58 are women - and Sam Foster is among them.

"I think it is a way of channelling and making sure that positive things come out of something that was so disastrous," the 58-year-old maths teacher said.

"It is not just about raising money, but actually being a part of it, bringing a load of us together from completely different backgrounds and we have to work together."

Tracy Vause is taking part in the ride for the first time after watching racers set off in previous years

After setting off from Cleckheaton the mixed-ability cyclists will arrive in Buxton in Derbyshire later on Wednesday.

They are set to reach London on Sunday, July 27.

Tracy Vause is taking part in the ride for the first time after watching the race set off in recent years.

"I cannot actually believe that we are going from Cleckheaton to London; we know it is really hilly on day one so there is not really the shock there.

"I know it is going to be a challenge and you have got to really dig deep"

Ms Vause, from Gomersal, said the group would support each other through the challenge.

"It is not a race, there is not a prize for being first so I am really looking forward to it".

Fifty-eight women are taking part in the ride this year

Ranging in ages from 21 to 79, cyclists taking part will climb a total of 13,000 feet during their journey.

The oldest rider on this year's route, Kath Lyons, from Sheffield, celebrates her 80th birthday just after event.

She is riding in the challenge for the fourth time.

"I am doing The Jo Cox Way again to remind myself what Jo stood for; it is more relevant now than when she said it.

"We all have 'more in common' than we think.

"I also still quite fancy the challenge; can I still do it?"

Ken Avery, 76, is taking part for the second time and is looking forward to the sense of support and community among participants

Ms Leadbeater added: "For those four-and-a-half days, nothing else matters - all that matters is getting up the next hill and getting to London, raising money for charity and making friendships.

"That is everything that Jo was about".

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