Transaid’s 20th anniversary cycle challenge is starting in a year, when riders from across the transport and logistics industry will be trying to finish the journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats (LEJOG). Individuals and teams are being encouraged to secure their places and commence training soon!
The 2019 fundraiser is the company’s most ambitious yet and will see the intrepid group set off Land’s End on 11 June 2019, pedalling 972 miles over 12 days to finish in John O’Groats. The adventure will take riders through some of the UK’s top scenic hotspots, including the beautiful Cotswold countryside and up to the stunning glens of the Scottish Highlands.
“We wanted to celebrate this important Transaid milestone surrounded by people from across the industry which has helped us get to where we are today. So far, the interest has been exceptionally high; LEJOG appears to be on a lot of people’s bucket lists and we’re very confident we’ll be fielding our biggest cycling team yet. It’s going to make for an amazing 20th anniversary year,” said Florence Bearman, Head of Fundraising at Transaid.
The event was designed to suit cyclists with a good level of fitness, providing the opportunity to sign-up for one or more of the three-day legs, the full 12-day journey or to compete as a relay team.
Transaid is looking for headline sponsors, offering opportunities for companies to support either individual stages or the whole ride. Some of the first firms to commit their backing include Microlise, which will host a barbeque in Nottingham at the end of day four, Fagan & Whalley will be hosting a morning break stop on day six, and Malcolm Logistics, is hosting a breakfast at its Heritage Centre in Linwood for the departing peloton on day nine.
The fundraising target of £200,000 will go towards Transaid’s life-saving work in sub-Saharan Africa, where it is focused on improving commercial driving standards and ensuring improved access to healthcare.
Individual cyclists signing up to complete the challenge end-to-end must pay a £250 registration fee and raise a minimum sponsorship target of £2,750. For a single stage of the challenge, there is a £150 registration fee and commitment to raising at least £1,250 in sponsorship. Teams of four riders riding one stage each will pay a group registration fee of £400 and must raise at least £4,000 collectively.
