Sponsored team cycle challenge raises £13,000 for charity

Published by Elizabeth Pokorny for Kier Services in Health and also in Communities, Housing

A group of employees from Kier Sheffield have taken up a cycle challenge once again this summer to raise money for local charities. In a follow-up event to their sponsored team cycle challenge last year, the fundraisers will be aiming to match or exceed the 874 miles they travelled from Lands End to John O‘Groats.

It all started in 2009 when a team of intrepid cyclists from Kier Sheffield cycled from Sheffield to Cleethorpes; in 2010 they went even further cycling coast to coast from Cumbria to North Yorkshire following the ‘Wainwright Walk’. In 2011 they surpassed themselves and cycled from John O‘Groats to Lands End and were supported by colleagues back home who endured a team cycle challenge event held at Ponds Forge – the total amount of money raised from all the cycle challenges is almost £13,000!

This year Kier Sheffield had a sponsored cycle challenge re-match at Ponds Forge, where the objective was to exceed the mileage from John O’Groats to Lands End within a five-hour period, with trophies going to the team and individuals with the most mileage clocked on their fixed cycle.

The challenge event took place on 3 August when seven teams battled it out and managed to raise almost £100 in the process with more sponsorship expected in the next few weeks. The funds will be shared between the local charities Kier Sheffield has supported in the past – Bluebell Wood Hospice, Motor Neurone Disease Association and Lane End Farm Trust –  along with Kier Sheffield’s new charity partners for 2012 - Darnall Dementia Group, Whirlow Hall Farm trust and finally The Kier Foundation whose corporate charity partner is Barnardo’s.

Kier regional managing director and member of the cycling team, Simon Bullen, said: “My team never shies away from a challenge and we are proud of our achievements. Over the past three years we have raised more than £13,000 for local charities and we know what a difference our support makes. A big thank you to everyone who has sponsored us and to Ponds Forge, which has helped make this challenge possible.”

For more information on the Motor Neurone Disease Association visit www.mndassociation.org on the Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice visit www.bluebellwood.org on Lane End Farm Trust go to www.lanendfarmtrust.co.uk  on Darnall Dementia Group go to www.darnalldementiagroup.co.uk on Whirlow Hall farm Trust go to www.whirlowhallfarm.org and on The Kier Foundation go to www.kier.co.uk/foundation