Invicta open their doors to charity cyclists

Maidstone-based policeman Darren Stock and his pal Lee French, a logistics’ manager, called in at the Fullicks Stadium on Thursday as part of a ten-club cycle ride around the county.
The pair were raising funds for the XXYY Project, which carries out research on an exceptionally rare condition which Darren’s five-year-old son Joseph is suffering from.

They set off on Wednesday with the first stop at Tonbridge, followed by stop-offs at Dartford, Ebbsleet United, Gillingham’s Priestfield Stadium and Maidstone.Thursday’s first leg from Darren’s home in Tovil to Folkestone was their longest unbroken ride before they travelled on to visit our neighbours Dover at Crabble and arch rivals Margate’s Hartsdown Park.

After a well-deserved overnight rest in Canterbury the pair will return home via Faversham’s Salters Lane and then Sheppey – where both guys hail from.“We’ve put in a fair amount of training but this leg was pretty tough” Darren said when they arrived at the Fullicks Stadium where a small welcoming party included FIFC manager Neil Cugley, vice-chairman Jim Pellatt and Supporters Club representative Mick Cork.

Little Joseph’s condition is extremely rare and affects only one in between 20,000 to 50,000 youngsters.Invicta had held a bucket collection at their opening Bostik League game of the new season last weekend where proceeds have been shared equally between the XXYY Project, British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK.

Mick said: “We collected a very much more than worthwhile £180 on Saturday with each of the charities receiving £60, and I would like to thank the supporters of both Invicta and Enfield Town helping us towards that figure.”