A group of colleagues from a Chester bank have completed the Tour de Pudsey challenge and helped to raise £246,696 for BBC Children in Need.
Karl Pearson, Damian Tillyer, Billy Brown and Brian Wilderspin from Chester, together with 56 colleagues from Lloyds Banking Group, cycled more than 300 miles from Cardiff to the town of Pudsey in Yorkshire in just three and a half days.
Karl is a member of the Chester Triathlon Club and has taken part in six triathlons in the past two years. To raise money for the challenge, he organised cake sales and book sales in branches and cycled between local branches to raise even more money and help him to prepare.
Brian also has a passion for cycling and has previously taken part in 100 mile rides including cycling Geneva to Nice in seven days. He was eager to take on a new challenge and aimed to raise £5,000 by organising dress down days and bake sales.
Speaking at the group’s head office in Pudsey, having completed the challenge, manager at the Heswall branch Damian Tillyer said: “I am so proud to have completed Tour de Pudsey alongside my Lloyds Banking Group team colleagues.
“It has been an incredible adventure with highs and lows, but we worked hard as a team to finish together. The support from family, friends and colleagues on route has been amazing and I’m thrilled that our endeavours have helped to raise over £245,000 for BBC Children in Need.”
TV presenter Gethin Jones, who was the Team Cardiff ambassador at the Grand Depart at the Principality Stadium, sent his congratulations to the riders: “It was fantastic to be here to see the Lloyds Banking Group colleagues from across the country complete their Tour de Pudsey challenge for BBC Children in Need. Huge congratulations to everyone involved.”
Tour de Pudsey is one of Lloyds Banking Group’s signature challenges for its Charity of the Year partnership with BBC Children in Need.
