Cycling from London to Paris: The £2,000 charity challenge

Our Account Development Manager, Darren Saint, and Account Manager, Ben Trappe, are about to team up with the Sage Foundation to take on the monumental challenge of cycling from London to Paris in just three days as part of the Sage Life Cycle fundraising event. Darren and Ben are hoping to raise £2,000 to support the Multiple Sclerosis Society and The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust.

On July 25^th 2019, the team of dedicated fundraisers (consisting of Sage partners, customers and supporters alike) will embark on what has been likened to running a marathon a day for three days straight. Darren, Ben and the other fundraisers will cycle over 300 miles from London to Paris in just 72 hours, in which their drive, commitment and fitness levels will be put to the ultimate test. We’re excited for Datel to be a participating partner in this event, and are proud of Darren and Ben for embracing this opportunity to raise sponsorship for two fantastic charities; the Multiple Sclerosis Society and The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust, which are close to their hearts.

Darren and Ben decided to support the Multiple Sclerosis Society (MS Society) through their fundraising, as Ben’s wife, Louise, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2010. More than 100,000 people in the UK have MS, which is painful and exhausting for sufferers, causing problems with how they move, see, think and feel. The MS Society is the leading UK charity for MS and represents 32,000 members and has 269 volunteer-run groups across the country. Their vision is a world free from the effects of MS and their mission is to enable everyone with MS to realise their full potential and secure the care and support they need. Whilst the Sage Life Cycle will be challenging, exhausting, and will certainly push Darren and Ben to their limits, the reward of supporting such a worthy and personal cause will be sure to make each mile worth it. Account Manager and Datel fundraiser, Ben, comments;

“I am a keen Cyclist but have never ridden for 3 consecutive days before at this distance so it’s going to be a challenge that I can’t wait to start. My objective is to raise as much money as possible for our chosen charities whilst taking part in Sage’s biggest charity bike ride for the Sage Foundation. Roll on Paris!”

Datel have also chosen to support The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust with monies raised from the Sage Life Cycle, and it will receive a 50/50 split of the funds raised through this challenge with the MS Society. The Adventure Farm is a haven for terminally ill, disabled and disadvantaged children from across the Northwest providing them with a week-long holiday. The needs of the children visiting The Adventure Farm range from complex and severe physical and learning disabilities, sensory impairments and terminal illnesses, as well as children who act as carers for a family member, those dealing with bereavement and children who have been victims of abuse. Datel are committed to continuing to support the fantastic work of this Charity. Account Development Manager and Datel fundraiser, Darren, says;

“I try to set myself a new challenge every year to raise money for some worthy causes, in this case CAFT (Children’s Adventure Farm Trust) and the MS Society, so this came along at the perfect time and actually provided me with two challenges. Number one was to start cycling which is something I’ve never really done before, and number two was to Cycle 300 miles across 3 days from London to Paris. I have thoroughly enjoyed the training and I now have the cycling bug! I’m really looking forward to the event and being part of the Sage Lifecycle.”

The Sage Life Cycle will play an integral role in contributing the Sage Foundation’s mission to raise $2million by 2022, to support charities and disadvantaged communities across the globe. Ran by Sage and led by Sage’s CEO, Steve Hare, the Sage Foundation envisages a world where all people and communities thrive because they are living with economic stability and social equality. The Sage Foundation invests time, money, expertise and technology to create sustainable social, economic and entrepreneurial opportunities in local communities around the world, and is committed to helping disadvantaged communities across all 23 countries they operate in.

If you would like to make a kind donation in support of Darren and Ben’s fundraising, please head to their JustGiving pages:

• https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/darren-saint
• https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ben-trappe-londontoparis

Thank you kindly in advance for your continued support.

- Ben Trappe

- Darren Saint