£226 PER MILE ON THREE DAY CHARITY CYCLING CHALLENGE

On Thursday evening, Preston Ayres, Extra Mile trustee, announced that 184 people from in and around Milton Keynes and Bedford had raised a whopping £113,000 in last year’s 500-mile cycling relay challenge. Martin Banham-Hall, senior partner of major sponsors, Heald Solicitors, revealed the most exciting route yet for 2008’s Extra Mile Massif Challenge.

A crowd of almost 180 local business people and charity representatives celebrated this record-breaking achievement at a reception given by Heald Solicitors at the Holiday Inn, Newport Pagnell. Many had taken part in the challenge themselves and were clearly astonished to hear the amount raised for charity.

“To come up with the idea of cycling such a long distance for charity is very commendable. You have broken your target of £100,000. Well done, I think it is fantastic,” congratulated Mike Barry, Mayor of Milton Keynes, before presenting three £13,800 cheques.

Local charities Milton Keynes Grand Union Charitable Trust and Inter-Action MK, together with national charity Dreamflight were delighted.

“This is a fantastic event that really does make a difference. Anyone who works in charity knows what an uphill struggle fundraising can be. This amount of money relieves some of the pressure and gives us the chance to achieve some of the extra things which we really want to do. Thank you all for making it happen,” said Sharon Paulger from Inter-Action MK

Filed: 05/03/2008 12:23:08