Intrepid Wickes cyclist Anil Pindoria has raised thousands for Alzheimer’s Research UK after a gruelling 700km challenge that saw him pedal through four countries in as many days. Anil, Supply Chain Manager at Wickes’ support centre in Watford, was inspired to take on the challenge after the organisation selected the UK’s leading dementia research charity for a three-year fundraising partnership. The adventure saw Anil and fellow cyclist Richard Burnham, from Wickes’ supplier JW Ostendorf, brave soaring temperatures and torrential rain in the space of four days – raising over £2,500 for pioneering dementia research.
The challenge was one of a series of fundraising events being taken on by Wickes after the home improvement retailer and Alzheimer’s Research UK launched their charity partnership in August. In the first month of the partnership, dedicated Wickes colleagues have already raised over £100,000 to help support the charity’s vital research, putting them in good stead to reach their target of raising £1m over the next three years.
Anil and Richard’s exhausting journey began on 13 September at the JW Ostendorf factory in Coesfeld, Germany, and took them across the border with Holland to Eindhoven on the first day – a distance of 102 miles that the pair travelled in searing 38-degree heat. From there, the duo took a 137-mile route to Bruges, in Belgium, before heading through France to Calais to take the Eurotunnel to Folkestone. Back on UK soil, the two cycled through pouring rain for the final leg of the journey, reaching Wickes’ support centre in Watford on 16 September.
Anil said:
“It was a great experience, but it was definitely tough in places, especially when we were cycling in such hot weather and feeling dehydrated. I don’t think I would have been able to carry on if Richard hadn’t been there with me! We were very lucky to have a support vehicle from JW Osterndorf carrying our kit, which made things much easier. It was actually a relief to cycle in the rain when we reached the UK because the temperature dropped, and it was great to arrive back at Wickes and get a big welcome from all my colleagues.
“I first started cycling about five years ago, when I signed up for a fundraising event with Wickes riding from Tibet to Kathmandu. That was a change point for me, when I realised I could do a lot more than I thought I was capable of. Since then I’ve tried to do one big cycling event every year and it’s great when I can get other people involved. As well as raising as much money as I can for dementia research, I’m really keen to inspire other people to take on a challenge like this too.”
Kate Moss, Corporate Fundraising Officer at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:
“This is a hugely impressive challenge, and we couldn’t be more grateful to Anil and Richard for battling such tough conditions in support of Alzheimer’s Research UK. The money raised is enough to fund 125 hours of pioneering research, bringing new dementia treatments and preventions a step closer.
“Today 850,000 people are living with dementia in the UK, including over 14,000 in Hertfordshire alone, yet there are currently no treatments able to tackle the underlying diseases. Research can defeat dementia, but we rely on public support to be able to fund the best science to help beat the condition. It’s thanks to the backing of companies like Wickes that we’re able to continue our vital work.”
To add to Anil’s fundraising total, visit http://bit.ly/2cUClxp, or to learn more about Alzheimer’s Research UK’s work, visit www.alzheimersresearchuk.org or call 0300 111 5555.
