100km bike ride and the London Marathon - A weekend of fundraising for London Youth
5th October, 2022
It was a busy weekend for fundraising for our charity partner, London Youth, with our people taking part in two impressive sporting events - the London Marathon and the 100km bike ride from London to Brighton. The events collectively raised over £7,000.
London to Brighton bike ride
On Friday 30 September, Duncan Blakelock (Central Lettings Director), Robert McLaughlin (North and West Sales Director), Jimmy Carr (Sales Branch Director, Wimbledon), Colin Gillibrand (Lettings Branch Director, Belsize Park) Fergus Ryan (Lettings Branch Director, Fulham) and Dominic Martin (Lettings Branch Director, Earls Court) participated in an off-road 100km mountain bike ride from Weybridge to Brighton.
Duncan commented: "It was a superb effort from everyone who completed the challenge, a great achievement, and no mean feat given. I would also to thank everyone who sponsored us on the day; we raised, some £2,500 for London Youth which will make a huge difference to so many young people’s lives.
After a long day in the saddle and a fair few stops for punctures (that only seemed to affect the N&W riders!), we were treated to torrential rain and gale-force winds as we ascended the South Downs Way, the toughest climb of the day. We all dug deep and with the wind behind us (ish) we sailed into Brighton on time and gratefully dried off in a bar on Brighton beach. It certainly felt as though we’d earned our beer the hard way, and the weather turned out to be quite the contrast to last year’s scorcher. Let’s see what 2023 will bring!"
London Marathon
On Sunday 2 October, Rob Owen (Senior Team Leader), Emma Munday (Londonwide Conveyancing Manager) and Josh Collins (Sales Negotiator, Balham) all took part in the London Marathon in aid of London Youth. Here's what they had to say:
Rob: "I still don't quite know where to start. The legs are very heavy today, acting as a reminder of the sense of achievement. Not just in completing the marathon but the efforts to raise as much as we have for London Youth. I'm still overwhelmed by the volume of support throughout the course and will hold the memories close for a very long time."
Emma: "This was my fourth London Marathon for London Youth and it never gets any easier, but every time the experience of the day is just priceless. My legs went at about mile 15 but the crowds cheering along the entire route were amazing. They were total strangers, but were calling my name along the way with calls of support like 'Come on Emma, keep running', and 'You can do it Emma'! It was a totally fantastic experience."
Josh: "Wow, that was tough! An unforgettable experience which restores your faith in humanity. I struggled with cramp from the 15k mark which really affected my time. After training, I was aiming for a sub 4hr, but finished at 4:45. This time two years ago I was recovering from a knee operation, so I'll take it!"