Lavendon Group cycles for charity
26 October 2012
An impressive £25,000 (US$40,000) has been raised for worthy causes across Europe by the Lavendon Group Cycle Challenge.
The eight day test, which ended on the 25 September, started in Alpen, Germany, with cyclists travelling through Belgium and France before finishing the journey in Lutterworth, UK, at the international headquarters of the Lavendon Group.
Some 40 employees took part in four relay teams, made up of employees from the four European territories of the Lavendon Group. The funds were raised through supplier and individual donations, with the group also contributing to make up the £25,000 total.
The funds will be split between the countries and go to charities chosen through employee votes. They are:Cancer Research UK; Centre Accueil Alzheimer, Belgium; Enfance et Partage, France; and Dolphin Aid, Germany.
Each country will also hold prize draws and raffles to give away the five bikes used in the event. Nationwide Platforms, the Lavendon Group's UK business, will be choosing two winners from the names of donators on its Just Giving webpage and followers on its Facebook page.
Event organiser Emma Dicken, Learning and Development Consultant (Continental Europe), Lavendon Group plc, said, "On the way we’ve seen new friendships formed, new experiences shared and a brilliant sense of team spirit emerge. I’d like to thank everyone who took part and donated to the cause to help us achieve something remarkable for the business as a whole."
Don Kenny, Lavendon Group chief executive, added, “The Lavendon Group Cycle Challenge has been a truly exceptional success. The staggering amount of £25,000 is a direct reflection of the hard work of those employees who took part in the cycle challenge, whether they were on a bike, in a support vehicle, or behind the scenes."
Last year Lavendon Group raised more than £10,000 for the Lighthouse Club when five of its UK-based employees cycled between Nationwide Platforms' depots in Aberdeen and Liskeard. Further events are set to be announced for 2013.