Newcastle to Sandford cycle raises £12,000 for charity
National Grid and Siemens Energy team members cycled over 350 miles in four days to raise money for charities Marie Curie Cancer and mental health charity, MIND.
The event was organised by veteran Craig Owens who works as a Quality Manager for Siemens Energy on the Hinkley Connection project.
A huge thank you to everyone involved and for the generosity of those who helped us raise the money
The six man team started the cycle on the 1 July in Heaton, Newcastle and finished four days later Sandford, Somerset – where a brand new substation is being built as part of the Hinkley Connection project.
The 351 mile route went through busy cities and towns on the way, including Birmingham, Rotherham, Derby, Gloucester, and Bristol.
Craig created the charity ride for National Grid and Siemens Energy to support worthwhile causes.
Although, Craig has had lots of experience cycling long distances, for many of the team riding almost 90 miles a day was very challenging.
The team included Hinkley Connection Project Director for National Grid, James Goode and Siemens Energy Head of Transmission Systems (UK), Mark Tiernan.
On completing the challenge, James Goode commented:
“It was an absolute pleasure to successfully finish over 500km of cycling for such worthwhile causes. A huge thank you to everyone involved and for the generosity of those who helped us raise the money.”
Mark Tiernan, Head of Business at Siemens Energy, said after the event:
“It was a tough few days of riding, but knowing it was all for a good cause helped the team pull through together.”
The motivation of supporting worthwhile causes close to their hearts helped the team power through steep hills and tough sections.
The six riders were followed by two support drivers who provided food, drinks and fixed any problems the team had with their bikes.
The team ended the ride on a high and were delighted to raise over £12,000 which will be shared with the two charities to support their valuable work.
