Hamilton workers cycle to Leeds for charity

Jun 4 2009 by Chris Clements, Hamilton Advertiser

Leeds cycle to benefit charity

THIS week 42 First Direct employees are donning their lycra and setting off on a 215-mile bike trek that will take them from Hamilton to Leeds in aid of charity.

The event, held as part of the national Big Bike Ride organised by the NSPCC, kicks off the bank’s three-year national drive to raise £2million for the charity’s Child’s Voice Appeal.

The appeal aims to help answer more calls to ChildLine and the NSPCC Helpline for adults concerned about a child.

Staff from the Hamilton call centre aim to raise more than £1000 each, and set out on their journey tomorrow (Friday) evening, hoping to reach their destination in Leeds by Sunday.

One of the First Direct employees taking part is 20-year-old Tonianne Ewart, from Burnbank.

She said: “It is a fantastic event to be involved in. I feel very strongly about the reasons and cause behind the charity cycle.

“I think it will be a really hard challenge but we all have enough motivation to raise money for Childline. That will drive us and keep us all going, and we all have the support of each other as well.”

Former Blantyre High pupil Tonianne recently qualified as a psychiatric nurse and feels this gave her an extra incentive to volunteer.

She said: “Through that I learned about families and support networks, and I feel that this is a great thing to be involved in.

“We have being doing a lot of training, most days for the last six weeks, since we signed up for it. It has been a mixture of training at the gym and outdoor cycling over long distances.

“I really do feel privileged at being involved in it all.”

Everyone can support the appeal at www.childsvoiceappeal.org.uk