Industry bike ride raises over £1 million for MAG

The annual wholesale, convenience and foodservice charity bike ride ‘Bikes Against Bombs’ (https://bikesagainstbombs.co.uk/) has now raised over £1 million.

The initiative was set up in 2015 by Neil Turton, non-executive director at Alliance Stores, and Tom Fender, development director of TWC, to raise money for the Manchester-based landmine clearance charity, Mines Advisory Group (MAG).

The 2023 ride comprised a 400km ride (over five days) from Chiang Rai in Thailand to Luang Prabang in Laos. This year’s event alone has raised in excess of £200,000  and is the seventh international ride – the previous six challenges have taken place in regions including Bosnia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Cambodia, all of which are impacted by the legacy of conflict.

Alongside Fender and Turton, this year’s ride saw over 35 industry executives take part, including Andrew Selley, chief executive officer of Bidcorp UK; Mark Aylwin, non-exec chairman of Unitas Wholesale; Debbie Robinson, chief executive of Central England Co-op; and Aoife Kenny, commercial director of Unitas Wholesale.

Turton commented: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to announce that we have raised £1 million since Tom and I founded the charity bike ride back in 2015. We’re so proud to be able to raise this much needed money for MAG which is a truly fantastic UK-based humanitarian charity.”

Fender added: “It’s been a very hot and humid ride and the hills have been incredibly challenging, but we have a clear purpose: to smash our target. We are blown away with the support we’ve received – thanks to the generosity of everyone, we have hit £1 million, something we never dreamed would be possible when we started out eight years ago.”

Published Date: March 30, 2023