A cheeky charitable event with a serious message will be returning to Southampton this summer. Cyclists will be taking to the streets of Southampton for a bike ride with a difference; they will be taking part in a Naked Bike Ride.
It will be the fifth successive year for the event, which will see around 150 cyclists cycle nude to raise awareness of the global dependency on oil.
The event attracted over 100 protestors last year, and the numbers are expected to grow this year.
The event will also happen simultaneously in Portsmouth, as campaigners across Hampshire try to encourage people to go green and leave the car a t home.
The organiser of the Southampton bike ride, Rob Jordan, said: “It’s always a lot of fun and it draws attention to cycling as a sustainable method of transport, especially with fuel prices the way they are now. But the cost issue is just one of the benefits, when you consider what it can do for your health and the environment – that’s the message the ride puts across.
“Protests don’t always get noticed, but even though this is a quiet event, with no banners or placards, it never fails to turn heads. People often come down in full body paint so we will encourage them to do the same again this year, but even just a quick slogan written on your back will help get the message out there.”
The cyclists will travel through Portswood and the city centre, before returning to Southampton Common.
The first World Naked Bike Ride started in 2004, and now 74 cities across 17 countries have taken part.