CPM Charity Bike Ride
28 JUNE 2010 | BY COLIN CLARK, DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES
CPM staff have embarked on a mammoth 340-mile cycle ride, starting from Thame on Sunday 27 June and finishing at our Dublin Office on Friday, 2 July.
The Spirit of CPM 2010 Big Bike Challenge, which is being organised in aid of charities nominated by staff in each of our offices, follows a route from Thame, to Pembroke via Cheltenham, Crickhowell and Carmathon; and picks up from Rosslare - continuing through County Wicklow before ending up at our Irish head office in Dublin.
The grand kick-off from Thame immediately followed the Thame 10k race, also sponsored by CPM (of which further details below).
The run started at Thame Leisure Centre early on Sunday morning and ended with a prize-giving by former Olympic Gold medal rower Greg Searle. Greg is making a return bid for glory at the London 2012 Olympics and being sponsored in his endeavour by CPM.
Greg then waved off the 25 CPM cyclists, who either work for our Thame and Warrington offices, or are members of CPM's field sales force. All but two of the riders will complete the full 340-mile route. The five-day Challenge has been split into daily stages of between 35 and 69 miles.
CPM's UK offices have got behind the Spirit of CPM Big Bike Challenge by nominating a charity that is local to them or linked to their business activity. The chosen beneficiaries are:
- The Florence Nightingale Hospice, Aylesbury - www.fnhospice.com
- The Olive Tree Cancer Support Centre, Sussex - www.olivetreecancersupport.org.uk
- St Rocco's Hospice, Warrington - www.stroccos.org.uk
- Helen & Douglas House, Thame - www.helenanddouglas.org.uk
- The Tim Parry Jonathan Ball Foundation for Peace, Warrington - www.foundation4peace.org
- TheKazi Mingi Foundation, Africa! - www.kmf.org.uk
The riders, with the enthusiastic support of all of their CPM colleagues, have set a challenge to raise £12,000 for the charities.
The Big Bike Challenge has received sponsorship from a number of CPM clients, including nutritional healthcare giant GSK, which has provided energy products. Mars, Kellogg's and United Biscuits also donated their products, and the Thame branch of Waitrose kindly presented us with a variety of foods to 'fuel the cyclists.'
Other supporting clients and suppliers are Wrigley's, Parcelforce, Diamond Couriers, UK Packaging, and m2digital.
About the Thame 10k
* This is a race around Thame, organised by the Thame Runners and sponsored by CPM. This year's race totalled 1,000 runners. The annual event is designed to be a family affair, incorporating a children's Fun Run which saw approximately 250 youngsters run once or twice around the playing fields - depending on age. CPM provided t-shirts and a goodie bag for all adult runners, and a sports bag for the children - again with items donated from our clients. GSK kindly provided drinks for all those taking part. Full details of the Thame 10k prize winners are available on www.thamerunners.co.uk
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