Newly-opened Huntingdon painting and decorating store Kent Blaxill has signed up to sponsor Two Wheels for Woodlands.

Managing director Simon Blaxill swapped his suit for Lycra at the ­official opening of the 176-year-old business’s new Stukeley Meadows Industrial Estate branch, on Thursday, to announce his support for The Hunts Post charity ride.

Kent Blaxill is the second bronze ­sponsor after VIP Polymers signed up a fortnight ago and joins main sponsor Move with Us and silver sponsors Circle and Luminus.

Mr Blaxill told The Hunts Post: “We are proud to get involved in the ­charity ride for the Woodlands Cancer Centre and support our new community.

“Last year, we had our 175th ­anniversary and as part of that we worked out that we had roughly 175 miles between all of our stores, so we decided to cycle to all of our stores, which got a few of our employees into cycling.

“I’m also cycling Land’s End to John O’Groats this year so I need to get as many rides in as possible.”

Cambridgeshire County Council has also given The Hunts Post a grant from its Cycle Legacy fund to help organise Two Wheels, on Sunday, June 29.

More than 200 people have signed up to take part in a 30, 60 or 100-mile ride around Huntingdonshire to raise money for the Woodlands Centre, at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, which needs an £800,000 ­extension. We are also encouraging ­families to sign up to a seven-mile route.

The cycle ride is part of the Huntingdonshire Cycling Festival throughout June.

It includes, on Sunday, June 15, a family fun day at Hinchingbrooke Country Park and a short circuit race through the streets of St Ives town centre the previous night.

There is also a cycle-to-school ­challenge and opportunities for cyclists of all ­abilities and ages to get involved.

INFORMATION: To sign up for Two Wheels for Woodlands, visit www.huntspost24.co.uk and click on the Two Wheels for Woodlands section. For more details on the Huntingdonshire Cycling Festival, visit www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/huntscyclingfestival.