A cycling enthusiast from Cleadon in Sunderland has received a major boost from a number of key sponsors before embarking on one of his toughest cycling challenges to date.
Alan McGee, 58 will be cycling over 300 miles from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean to raise money for the Foundation of Light, the registered charity of Sunderland Football Club.
The social media specialist will be part of a team of over 40 cyclists who will participate in the four-day challenge, which sets off from Arcachon, near Bordeaux on the west coast of France on Sunday June 4 and will cycle via Marmande, Moissac, Castres before finishing in Gruissan on Wednesday, June 8.
A handful of companies have collectively donated over £1,000 towards his sponsorship funds to enable him to participate in the grueling challenge, which will see the cyclists climbing a total of 12,600 feet over the four days.
Alan is no stranger to these challenges after successfully completing the first ‘Tour de Foundation’ event from Dublin to Sunderland in 2012 and then again across Italy from Pisa to Venice the following year. The aim of the challenge, which is supported by Grafton Group plc is to raise much needed funds to help families in need across Sunderland, South Tyneside and County Durham.
Alan attended Valued Accountancy’s head office in Consett last week to collect his official jersey and said, “I am very grateful to the local companies that have shown their support and sponsored me for this worthwhile challenge. We’ll be riding approximately 70 miles per day and although this will be tough, I’ll be thinking about how this money will benefit families across the North East.
“I participated in the first ‘Tour de Foundation’ event in Dublin which got me interested in cycling and keeping fit. Now, five years later, I am about to embark on this 300-mile challenge through France. I have been doing lots of training in preparation and have just completed the Fred Whitton Challenge at the beginning of May – a 112-mile cycle around the Lake District.
“I would like to thank my family and friends for their support, especially Valued Accountancy, Lomax Training, Up North Communications, Sedgefield Dental Practice, Bush Nook B&B, Element Teamwear and Profound Services for their sponsorship, which has enabled me to raise sufficient funds to participate in the event.”
Stephen Paul, Owner and Managing Director of Valued Accountancy, said: “We are pleased to be able to help Alan on his journey and wish him a safe trip. It’s for a fantastic cause and will greatly help a lot of families across the North East.”
Jemma Garrett, Foundation of Light Event Coordinator, added: “Our annual International Cycle Challenge is one of the high points of our fundraising calendar and we’re delighted to welcome Alan back as part of our team. It’s a tough event but there’s always a great team spirit and camaraderie on the ride which raises a lot of money for families in need across the region.
To follow Alan’s progress, you can follow him on Twitter @Alanmcgeesay and he will be using the hashtag #Atlantic2med16.