13.07.2011

300 miles to go

The Lavendon charity bike ride team stopped off at Lavendon group head office yesterday. The five management trainees and the day’s guest rider, UK head of commercial reporting Paul Hickling were welcomed by cheering colleagues giving them encouragement for the last third of the 800 mile run form Aberdeen in Scotland to Liskeard in Cornwall.
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Mathew Ross rides in to a warm reception

On riding into the Lutterworth car park rider Estel Nixon said “I nearly cried when I saw all the banners. Today has been a good day. Not like yesterday. Yesterday was horrible.”

The team has taken accommodation wherever they can and some of the nights have camped out to save money. On the camping experience, Stephen Whitfield said “I am not a camping person. It’s been hard. You have to get to the campsite, put up your tent, and then cook for yourself. You aren’t getting to bed until half 12, and then you’re up at half five in the morning to set off again.”

Today is the sixth day of the ride, and the team is joined by guest rider, Rob McMeeking - managing director of EPL Skylift. They plan to stop at Gloucester this evening after a ride of just over 85 miles from today’s starting point of Rugby.

It looks as though they will pass by Stratford On Avon around midday. Click here to see the GPS map and statistics charting the riders progress
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The five -Stephen Whitfield, Carl Torcetti, Estel Nixon, Joe Keely, and Matthew Ross pose for a rare photo with Lavendon HQ staff

With 300 miles left to go, the team hope to end the journey at the Panther depot in Liskeard on Friday having cycled for eight days straight from Aberdeen.

Tomorrow’s guest rider is UK business development director Mick Ledden, given the aim is to raise as much money as possible for the Lighthouse Club which works to support the families of those who have been badly injured or killed while working in the construction industry, please support him and the team with a donation. As of this morning they had over £4,300 in mileage sponsorships 87% of their £5,000 target. – add that to the £5,300 plus from the bike auction and they already have £9,600! A few more will take this over the £10,000 level.

If you wish to make a donation please visit the management trainees’ fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/managementtrainees .

Click here to see the original report and for further details
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