A TEAM of dedicated cyclists has raised thousands of pounds for a North East autism charity after finishing an epic ride that took them across four countries.
The five riders covered the 270 miles from Greenwich, in London, to Amsterdam in just three days, raising more than £6,300 for the North East Autism Society (NEAS).
The event was dubbed ‘The Quaternity Cycling Challenge’ in view of the four countries the riders crossed: England, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Fundraising manager Kevin Meikle, who took part in the challenge, said: “Every year we like to make our challenge even bigger and better than the one before, so doubling the number of countries from our 2022 ride seemed like the perfect plan! London to Amsterdam is an iconic route, and we’re overjoyed to have raised so much towards the vital work that NEAS does to support autistic children, young people, adults and their families.”
After leaving Greenwich, the group cycled over the South Downs to catch the Dover ferry to Dunkirk, and then pedalled 120 miles the following day across France and Belgium to Zeeland, in the Netherlands. They finished strong by riding through The Hague and into Amsterdam on day 3.
The team raised more than £3,480 in sponsorship money, as well as an additional £2,825 from corporate sponsorship of the commemorative cycling jerseys worn by each rider.
“This is a fantastic result, but it wouldn’t have been possible without our amazing sponsors, including our title sponsor, LM Global Telecoms,” Kevin said.
“We want to say a massive thank you both to them, and to the nine other companies which have backed the event.”
This marks the second year that the North East telecoms firm has backed the charity’s big bike ride, having also supported 2022’s ‘Twin Town Tour’ across the Netherlands and Germany.
Other sponsors included Fleet Recruitment, Muckle LLP, and Performance28, as well as Activa, PWA Architects, Darlington Building Society, Escapes By KH, and Cycle Refuge.
Kevin added: “The annual NEAS cycling challenge has become a much-loved tradition, so we’ll definitely be bringing it back next year. Anyone who is interested in joining or supporting the event can look out for upcoming information on our NEAS social media pages, or email us at fundraising@ne-as.org.uk.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here