As World Cup fever begins to grip the country, a sporty team from HML is training for physical activity on two wheels rather than two feet.
On Monday 12 June, as the USA takes on the Czech Republic and Italy plays Ghana, an energetic group of 20 HML staff will be embarking upon a gruelling 5 day charity bike ride.
Taking in each of the company’s four sites, the Tour de HML plans to raise at least £35,000 for a number of worthy causes – the chosen charities of each HML office: the Londonderry Foyle Hospice; the East Lancashire Appeal for Macmillan Nurses; the Yorkhill Children’s Foundation (Glasgow); and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
The ride starts at HML’s offices in Derry, right on the border with the Irish Republic, from where the team will peddle across Ulster till they reach the Irish Sea. Then the cycles and their riders take to the water for the ferry journey across to Stranraer in Scotland, and will then head northwards towards Glasgow. The route southwards goes back through the Southern Uplands and into England near Carlisle. Finally the cyclists pass through Cumbria to Padiham in Lancashire and across the Pennines to head office in Skipton.
HML chief executive Steve Haggerty comments: “Cycling from Northern Ireland to Yorkshire via Scotland seemed like a great idea – combining a real physical challenge with a bit of sightseeing, team-building and raising money for charity at the same time. HML has an impressive track record in fund raising for charitable causes, and I’m delighted to be lending my full support to this sporting endeavour. While England’s team is facing down Trinidad & Tobago in Nuremberg, the HML team will be puffing up the steep inclines of the Lake District. Let’s hope both teams come up trumps.”
“I’m also delighted that a number of HML’s clients and suppliers have given us generous donations, and riders from Kensington Mortgage Company PLC and GMAC-RFC will be taking part in some of the stages.”
“The whole of HML is behind our cyclists, and we’d very much appreciate any support that our friends and business partners may wish to offer. Our team will be very visible in their HML teeshirts so I hope people will cheer them on if they see them en route – and give them news of how England is doing.”
