Leasedrive VELO

Leasedrive Velo team to ride from London to Paris in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care
15 May 2008

Leasedrive Velo, one of the UK’s largest independent privately-owned vehicle management groups, is entering a team of 14 riders in a 250-mile charity bike ride between London and Paris in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. The team, led by commercial director Roddy Graham, aims to raise a minimum of £5,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Care, one of the UK’s oldest charities, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.

Roddy Graham said: “Marie Curie Cancer Care has been our nominated company charity since 2005. Sadly, most people in this country know a relative or friend who has suffered from cancer and the work this charity undertakes on behalf of terminally-ill patients is simply unbelievable. So this year, we have decided to push ourselves the extra mile – or should I say 250 miles – to raise extra funds in this the charity’s 60th anniversary year. I would hope that many people who know me, and my colleagues on the team, will support us in our quest to raise a minimum of £5,000, preferably double that figure.”

The Leasedrive Velo team will start from Parliament Square at 6.00am on Thursday June 19 and will ride 70 miles to Folkestone before catching a late afternoon Eurotunnel shuttle to Calais. Day two will cover 70 miles between Calais and Abbeville and day three 55 miles from Abbeville to Beauvais. The fourth and final day will see the team complete the final 55 miles to the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in the centre of Paris.

Current sponsors include Leasedrive Velo, which is covering Eurotunnel Shuttle return fares, fuel, support van and cycle shirt top costs, as well as underwriting its participating employees’ time-off; and Thrifty Car & Van Rental which is kindly providing a 17-seater minibus.

Last month, organiser and rider, group IS manager, Paul Newman conducted a three-day reconnaissance. Meanwhile, network and after sales manager, Chris Day is liaising with the police on both sides of the Channel as well as the British Embassy in Paris.

Online donations to the Leasedrive Velo London to Paris Bike Ride in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care can be made by visiting http://www.justgiving.com/london-to-paris Alternatively, please send a cheque made payable to ‘Marie Curie Cancer Care’ to Roddy Graham, Commercial Director at Leasedrive Velo, Crowthorne House, Nine Mile Ride, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 3GA.

Notes to Editors:

Marie Curie Cancer Care
Marie Curie Cancer Care is one of the UK’s largest charities. It was established in 1948 – the same year as the NHS – and marks its 60th anniversary in 2008. Employing more than 2,700 nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals, Marie Curie Cancer Care expects to provide care to around 27,000 terminally ill patients in the community and in its hospices in 2008 along with support for their families.

Marie Curie Cancer Care has ten hospices across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and two centres for palliative care research. While Marie Curie Cancer Care mainly cares for people with cancer it also cares for people with other life limiting illnesses. The charity also runs the world-renowned Marie Curie Research Institute, which investigates the causes and treatments of cancer.

Financially, around 70 per cent of the charity’s income comes from the generous support of thousands of individuals, membership organisations and businesses, with the balance of funds coming from the NHS.

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