Zibrant staff to undertake 482-mile charity bike ride from Paris to Derby
Seventeen staff members of the Zibrant meetings and events agency are to undertake a 482-mile charity fundraising bike ride from their offices in Paris, France to their Derby-based global operations office in the UK this year between July 21 and July 26, stopping at their Canterbury and Godalming locations en route. They aim to raise over £10,000 to support research and screening for ‘Cardiac Risk in the Young’ (CRY), as well as to buy an entire farmyard to benefit a community in a developing country via the ‘Send a Cow’ charity.
The decision to support CRY came as a result of the tragic death of a friend of several Zibrant staff in 2010. Sarah Gamble was 26 when she passed away following a sudden cardiac arrest with no previous condition detected.
Says Adam Morris, head of global venue find for Zibrant and close friend of Sarah, ‘I am really looking forward to taking part in this huge challenge. There is something very special about the cause we are supporting, CRY, as a good friend of mine suddenly passed away at the age of 26, suffering cardiac arrest. This was of course a terrible time for friends but no-one can imagine the pain Sarah’s family and closest friends felt – and still do, but CRY has been there to support them. Taking part in this event means so much, knowing it is for such a great cause and one so close to many of my friends and their families’.
Every week in the UK at least 12 apparently fit and healthy people die of undiagnosed cardiac conditions and CRY is among the leading organisations working to reduce this statistic through research and screening. CRY also provides support for the friends and families of those affected.
Zibrant is also supporting the Send a Cow charity, which operates in developing countries to provide training, livestock, seeds and support to impoverished communities.
There are two teams, one led by managing director – sales and marketing Fay Sharpe, and the other by Credit Controller Chris Holt.
Says Fay Sharpe, ‘This may be our toughest challenge so far but team Zibrant are training hard - it is a great privilege to be in a position to fundraise for charity and make a contribution to supporting communities in the UK and overseas. Any offers of sponsorship would be received with enormous gratitude - please visit our team pages at www.justgiving.com/teams/hotdynamos or www.justgiving.com/teams/globalriders. Thank you.’
Blacks outdoor clothing and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are both kind sponsors of the event providing kit and support vehicles for the event respectively.