Fifteen cyclists have got in the saddle for a three day ride to raise money for St Giles Hospice.
The team, who all work for Wills and Trusts Wealth Management Group, raised £16,000 to be split between the hospice and three other charities.
Chief operating officer Stuart Payne took part in the 210-mile ride after his father-in-law John Simpson received end-of-life care at St Giles Hospice in 2018.
“The care my late father-in-law received at St Giles was just tremendous – I cannot praise the team there highly enough, whether it is for the way they looked after him in his last days or the support they offered to the rest of the family.
“They have such a wonderful bedside manner.
“We all know how hard charities have been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, so supporting hospice care along the way seemed like a great way to make a difference on our cycling challenge.
“We came up with the idea of the bike ride as things opened up again after lockdown. For the past year our team has been forced to work from home due to Government guidance, so this cycle trip seemed like a great way to bring everyone back together and get the team bonding again.”
Stuart Payne
The team’s route took them from the company’s office in Ashby-de-la-Zouch to its head office in Thame, near Oxford, visiting other offices along the way on a route through Henley-in-Arden, Moreton-in-Marsh and Winchester.
The money raised will be split between St Giles Hospice, Florence Nightingale Hospice in Aylesbury, Helen and Douglas House Children’s Hospice in Oxford and Winchester Hospice.
Company founder David Batchelor said:
“Our team included both serious riders and people who had not been out on a bike until six weeks ago, and their dedication and determination has been matched by the generosity of our supporters and donors who have helped us to race past our £10,000 target and raise this fantastic total.”
David Batchelor
