Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Builders merchant Martin Pilgrim, a director of Birkenhead Building & Roofing Supplies Ltd is cycling with six friends from London to Paris in July in aid of a children’s charity.
Pilgrim told buildertsmerchantsjournal: “None of this group of people – all of them the wrong side of 35 -has any experience in endurance cycling events and to make sure they have the best chance of completing this journey all have committed to a difficult and demanding training regime.”
The first day is a nice little warm-up of 75 miles from London to St Malo via Portsmouth, Day 2 covers the 82 miles from St Malo to Mayenne, Day three is a belter taking the team 114miles from Mayenne to Chartres with the final leg to Paris on the fourth day a mere 54 miles.
Pilgrim says: “We are attempting to raise £10,000 for Action Medical Research. This charity is the leading UK medical research charity dedicated to helping babies and children. For almost 60 years they have contributed to some of the most significant medical breakthroughs in recent history beginning with the polio vaccine which led to new cases being eradicated in the UK. Today they continue to fund the very best medical research to help stop the suffering of babies and children caused by disease and disability.
“The three specific areas they are currently working on are, tackling premature birth and treating sick and vulnerable babies, helping children affected by disability, disabling conditions and infections and targeting rare diseases that severely affect many children. I feel that this answers the, Why are we doing this question but its also summed up in a little motivational motto circulated to anyone taking part “We suffer so they don’t”.
Roto, the German manufacturer of roof windows, has supplied the cycling shirts and helped start the fundraising.
