Press Release: Russian Dissident Cycles 500 Miles to see Threatened Countryside

Russian Dissident Cycles 500 Miles to see Threatened Countryside

Committee members from CPRE Hampshire have organised a special welcome for long distance cyclist Dr Marina Voikhanskaya, who is scheduled to arrive in Kingsclere on Tuesday 5th September as part of a 10 day, 500 mile sponsored cycle ride through some of the most threatened areas of the South East and East of England.

Dr Marina Voikhanskaya, who celebrates her 72nd birthday this year, will be arriving at Kingsclere Parish Church at 11.30am on Tuesday 5th September. Marina was born and raised in St Petersburg where she graduated from medical school in 1960. She worked as a psychiatrist until she left Russia and came to England as a political refugee. She took up cycling at the age of 44.

A committed CPRE member, Marina is being sponsored to cycle 50 miles each day, visiting Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and back to her home in Cambridge.

Julian Pilcher, Chairman of the CPRE North Hampshire District Group and organiser of the welcoming party, stated:

"Her visit to Kingsclere is to highlight the particular threats being posed to this beautiful part of North Hampshire which falls into the so called Western Corridor high development area created by the South East Plan under the auspices of the Government of the South East based in Guildford. The Western Corridor stretches from Slough in the North to a southern boundary which cuts east/west across North Hampshire and includes Watership Down, Beacon Hill and numerous rural parishes such as Kingsclere, Burghclere, Sydmonton, Hannington whose protestations have been ignored by the South East England Regional Assembly. Imagine the extra traffic thundering through Kingsclere on the already overloaded A339, the only access road to nearby Greenham Common, the former US Airbase, now the subject of massive development plans. Take the footpath on Beacon Hill or Watership Down and look down to where the Greenham Common development will sprout like a carbuncle on the face of the countryside".

Marina will be welcomed by the Vice Chairman of Kingsclere Parish Council, Peter Goff, as well as members of the CPRE North Hampshire District group. Marina says:

"Having cycled round areas of Green Belt at threat from development last year I saw CPRE's work in action, and the passion that CPRE volunteers have for the countryside. I wanted to support CPRE's work again and, living in Cambridgeshire, I was aware of the Government's proposals for development in the East of England and South East."

To sponsor Marina, please donate online at www.justgiving.com/MarinaV or call 020 7981 2849 for a donation form.

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Notes to editors

The Campaign to Protect Rural England, Hampshire Branch (CPRE Hampshire) is a registered charity and a branch of the national CPRE charity.

CPRE Hampshire strives to promote the beauty, tranquility and diversity of the countryside of Hampshire by the sustainable use of land and other resources in town and country, and encouraging the biodiversity and well-being of rural communities.

For membership information on CPRE, please contact:
Pam Mason, administrator, CPRE Hampshire
Tel: 01962 843655
Email:admin@cprehampshire.org.uk

For all media enquiries, please contact:
Keren Burney, media & communications officer, CPRE Hampshire
Tel: 01730 894123 Mobile: 07876 780065
Email: kburney000@aol.com