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• Local Guernsey cause, Every Child Our Future, and Jersey charity, Words and Numbers, to benefit from PwC’s national charity cycling challenge • 40 cyclists from PwC Channel Islands will cycle approx. 100 miles on 4 May in Guernsey and 5 May in Jersey
These intrepid cyclists are currently gearing up join the UK firm’s ambitious Ride the Nation challenge, which will cover 2,500 miles and raise more than £80,000 for charity.
Setting off from London on 1 May, four Ride the Nation cyclists will visit each office in the UK network, ranging from St Helier in Jersey to Aberdeen and Belfast in the month of May – with 700 regional colleagues joining their peloton at different stages along the way to spur them on.
On 4 May, they will roll into Guernsey, where they will be joined by local PwC riders for the Channel Islands’ leg. The journey will climb out of St. Peter Port and then take in Sausmarez, Pleinmont, L’Erée and L’Ancresse before returning to town, whilst in Jersey the following day, the cyclists’ tour will take in Corbière, L’Etacq, Grève de Lecq, St. Catherines and La Rocque.
All of the funds raised through the Ride the Nation challenge will go to a choice of local office charities such as Every Child Our Future in Guernsey, Words and Numbers in Jersey and PwC CI’s chosen global charity Room to Read, as well as supporting the PwC Foundation’s race to raise £3 million.
PwC CI Director James de Veulle, regional Ride the Nation champion for PwC in the Channel Islands, said: “It’s great to see so many of our CI team joining in this ambitious nationwide challenge. Whether it’s getting in the saddle to cycle the distance, fundraising or simply cheering colleagues on, it gives us all the opportunity to raise much needed funds for our own chosen charities as well as our network’s PwC Foundation, supporting our local community and making a difference to a lot of people’s lives.”
Leighton Smith, co-Project Leader of the event and one of the National Riders, has been overwhelmed by the number of PwC staff signing up to support their 2,500 mile journey. At the end of the month, some of the riders will have been on the road for 29 days, having cycled the equivalent of cycling up Everest 3.8 times.
He said: “The support for our Ride the Nation challenge has been fantastic. The great thing about this initiative is that everyone can get involved, regardless of sporting ability. I’m a keen cyclist and will be covering the full 2,500 miles but we have riders who are covering anywhere from 30 to 130 miles and many other people, not cycling, doing their bit to support the event.”
Locally in the Channel Islands, PwC are no strangers to demonstrating their pedal power to help raise substantial funds for charity. Last July, Guernsey-based Director, David Waldron, was part of the 35 strong Only Fools and Donkeys contingency who took part in a 300 mile charity bike ride around Brittany in support of those with learning or physical disabilities in Guernsey. Jersey-based Partner Karl Hairon and Director James de Veulle participated in the Stroke Association’s fundraising cycle from London to Paris in September 2012 whilst more recently, last September, PwC CI’s Senior Partner Brendan McMahon raised in excess of £11,000 for Room to Read, which reaches out to millions of illiterate children around the globe. Brendan completed a gruelling cycling challenge, covering 750km and over 20,000 metres of climbing through the Pyrenees in support of Room to Read.
