Brett Group employees, customers, suppliers and friends rode the 280 miles over four days to raise funds for the Children’s Charity Action Medical Research, who research cures for childhood diseases.
Despite driving wind and rain on the second day, all 18 team members of the annual ‘Ziggurat’ bike ride finished the four-day cycle in the allotted time and without injury.
Bill Brett, Chairman of the Brett Group and one of the team members, said: “All the team put in a huge amount of effort – in training for the event, on the ride to Paris and in raising money for this wonderful charity. I think everyone can be very proud of their achievements – it’s great to be able to support such a good cause – thank you so much to our sponsors.”
Riding some of the route taken by the Tour de France, it was a challenging and rewarding time spent in the saddle.
Reflecting on the experience, Mark MacIntosh-Watson, Brett Landscaping’s National Engineering Manager, commented: “This was a huge challenge for me as I am not a cyclist and it proved to be a thrilling experience. The depth of sheer determination and focus needed cannot be understated as we needed to get through bad weather, steep and long hill climbs whilst covering vast distances each day. The route was full of highs and lows, both emotionally and geographically, but the team spirit and drive was amazing and the sense of achievement when we arrived at the Eiffel Tower was superb. This combined with the money we all raised for Action Medical Research, such a worthwhile and excellent charity, made it all worth it.”
All the money raised will help to fund Action Medical Research’s 75 projects at leading hospitals, universities and specialist centres across the UK. Specialists have been researching and successfully creating cures for childhood diseases since 1953, developing treatments such as the Polio and Rubella vaccines and pioneering ultrasound in pregnancy.
Sarah Stevenson, Senior Partnership Development Manager from Action Medical Research who also took part on the cycle ride commented: “As a charity we rely on donations from businesses and the general public to continue to fund breakthroughs, making a positive difference to the lives of thousands of children and their families. The amount raised by Brett is part of the £108,000 we raised on this Construction Industry ride – it’s an amazing achievement and will go a long way to help the lives of vulnerable babies and children through our research.”
The ‘Ziggurat’ bike ride in 2018 will be from London to Brussels and Action Medical Research are currently looking for construction industry teams to take part. If you are interested and want to find out more please visit https://www.action.org.uk/ziggurat or contact Sarah Stevenson on [email protected] to be a part of this unique industry ride.