PG’s director Ian Hyder and Danilo’s licensing director Dan Grant, Rainbow Designs’ md Anthony Temple and sales director Zara Grindrod and over 60 others from the wide licensing community set off at the crack of dawn this morning (June 12) on an arduous 325-mile Cycle Challenge.
The challenge is on course to raise a stupendous amount of money for The Light Fund, the industry-wide registered charity, which Ian and PG’s Jakki Brown co-founded with other like-minded folk from the trade in 2004. The four day challenge, which started in Bristol this morning will end in Dublin on Friday with the riders having to endure the severe inclines of the Welsh mountains and other gruelling terrain along the way.
“The generosity of those from the greeting card, gift and licensing industry has been incredible,” Ian Hyder, joint managing director of Max Publishing (which owns PG) commented. “By the time we started the ride, the total raised for The Light Fund was over £180,000 and this is set to rise over the coming four days of the route, which will enable us to do so much for those less fortunate than ourselves.”
The Light Fund is a registered charity that was set up to fund specific charity projects that help men, women and children both in the UK and overseas. Thanks to funds generated by the raffles at The Retas, The Henries and The Greats as well as other fundraising efforts, over £1.2 million has been put to very good use funding over 200 different charity projects since The Light Fund’s inceotion in 2004.
This Cycle Challenge however is The Light Fund’s biggest ever charity fundraiser.
Some of the funds from the Cycle Challenge are already being put to good use as en route to the official starting point for the ride, a donation of £5,000 was made to Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal at Aardman Animations’ offices in Bristol yesterday.
Ian presented a cheque for £5,000 to Anna Shepherd of The Grand Appeal, witnessed by Wallace and Gromit themselves!
Also, today (June 12) a second £5,000 donation is to be made to Tŷ Hafan, a Welsh hospice charity, supported by Newport-based confectionery specialist Bon Bon Buddies.
Other charity beneficiaries from the funds raised by the bike ride will be announced by The Light Fund committee later this year.
To make a donation to the Cycle Challenges – please visit The Light Fund Just Giving page
