ST. MODWEN CYCLE TEAM TAKING 900 MILE CHARITY CHALLENGE IN BID TO RAISE £50,000
Four property professionals from St. Modwen’s Midlands and North Staffordshire regions will be getting on their bikes to complete the 900 mile cycle ride from Lands End to John O’Groats in September, in a bid to raise at least £50,000 to be shared between four nominated charities – The Donna Louise Children’s Hospice Trust; Breast Cancer Campaign; the British Heart Foundation; and the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer.
Regional director Mike Herbert, senior development surveyor Mike Murray and development surveyors Andrew Cox and Jonathan Green, will form the ‘peloton’ for the bike ride, with every team member riding the 900 mile route which is planned to take 10 days to complete.
Headquartered in Quinton, Birmingham, St. Modwen operates through a network of seven regional offices, with a portfolio of more than 160 diverse development schemes. The cyclists are set to visit both the Bristol and Warrington offices as they complete their journey; and they will also pass many of St. Modwen’s individual schemes as they follow their pre-planned route from south to north.
A major fundraising drive has now been launched to secure support for the challenge, and each rider is now following an intensive training regime to ensure they are physically and mentally prepared for the gruelling ride ahead.
Mike Herbert, who will be 55 this year, said: “Although I’m a complete novice, I’ve often dreamt of riding from Lands End to John O’Groats and I’m very pleased that the rest of the team accepted my “invitation” to this once in a lifetime challenge. They are all keen regular cyclists – and younger than me – so I’ll have my work cut out to stay with them.
“It is an ultimate test of endurance, but we all share a real determination to successfully complete the route and meet our fundraising target of £50,000. We are taking our training schedules and pre-ride preparations very seriously as, over the course of 10 days in September, each of us will climb further than the height of Mount Everest and Ben Nevis combined as well as spending over 65 hours in the saddle.
“It is also a chance to do something big for charity; and whilst the ride is going to be an unforgettable experience, we are all motivated by the prospect of making a difference to each of the nominated charities. As cycling from Lands End to John O’Groats will be a first for each rider, we are also looking forward to having the opportunity to fulfill our own personal goals along the way.”
Throughout the course of the 900 mile bike ride each rider will burn approximately 60,000 calories – equivalent to 600 bananas – and each individual will perform more than 500,000 pedal strokes as they make their way from coast to coast.
Bill Oliver, Chief Executive of St. Modwen, said: “The St. Modwen cycling team comprises four very passionate and committed individuals, and although 900 miles in 10 days is a massive undertaking for amateur cyclists, I believe the group has the strength to meet this challenge. Their professional approach to this undertaking will ensure each rider is adequately prepared for the physical and mental test that lies ahead; and everyone at St. Modwen is giving the cyclists their full support and encouragement, to assist the team in meeting its fundraising target.”
Four charities have been selected to benefit from the cycle ride, with each of the charities chosen because of a particular relevance to the team members:-
The Donna Louise Children’s Hospice Trust runs a comprehensive children’s hospice service within Staffordshire and South Cheshire, providing respite and end of life care for children with life threatening conditions.
Breast Cancer Campaign’s mission is to beat breast cancer by funding innovative world-class research to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure.
The British Heart Foundation envisages a world where people do not die prematurely from heart disease, and looks to achieve this through pioneering research, vital prevention activity and ensuring quality care and support for everyone living with heart disease.
The James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer is the UK’s leading specialist kidney cancer charity. It seeks to help reduce the harm caused by kidney cancer by increasing knowledge and awareness, providing patient information and by supporting research into the causes, prevention and treatment of the disease.
To make a donation and to follow the progress of the St. Modwen team throughout their summer of training and cycle ride preparations, please go to [web address and Just Giving page].
