Surbiton locals with a passion for cheese have come up with another quirky way to raise money for two local charities. The Homage de Fromage cheese tasting club, which meets every month at The Lamb (73 Brighton Road) hopes to raise £5,000 for The Shooting Star Children’s Hospice, which provides care and support for youngsters with life-limiting conditions, and the Lebara Foundation, which helps protect deprived children around the world.

How will they do this?

By taking a selection of British cheeses by man power to France of course! Yes, on Saturday 2 May, a convoy of cycles, all of which are taking part in a sponsored cycle, will bike the cheeses from Surbiton to Dungeness.

Once there the cheeses will be whisked across the channel by kite surfer Rob Smith. Rob hopes to beat the current kite surfing record of two hours 30 minutes and 43 seconds to arrive in time for a picnic with representatives from the French cheese industry.

Four of the five cheeses they’ll be taking (Barkham Blue, Rosary Goat’s cheese, Saval and Lynher Dairies Cornish Yarg) were chosen by more than 40 MPs including Surbiton MP Ed Davey and Labour MP Celia Barlow at Westminster on 17 March. The fifth will be chosen at the Homage de Fromage event on 26 April.

“This is a staggeringly silly way of raising funds for two brilliant charities, The Shooting Star Children’s Hospice and the Lebara Foundation and a great way of demonstrating to the French our love of British Cheese and our ability to raise money for worthy causes in the daftest way possible. I hope people will sponsor our efforts online,” said organiser Robin Hutchinson.

Fancy joining in the fun? Keen cyclists are encouraged to take part in the Surbiton to Dungeness charity bike ride.

Photo: Chiot's Run