Team Tour raise over £5k for Bridlington Hospital

Following on from the Tour de France, a team of cycling enthusiasts from York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust took part in a  sponsored bike ride on Sunday (13 July).

Le Tour de Hospitals commenced at York Hospital at 9am taking in Malton and Scarborough Hospitals before ending at Bridlington Hospital at 3.30pm – a total journey of 72 miles.

The team of 16 included staff from Bridlington, York and Scarborough Hospitals as well as Deputy Chief Executive Mike Proctor. 

Bridlington Hospital Maintenance Engineer and team member, Franco Villani, explained: “With all the excitement around the Tour de France we thought that it would be a great idea to organise our own charity bike ride.

“Starting from York Hospital and ending at Bridlington Hospital we thought it would be a great way to showcase, how two years on from the acquisition, the developments that have taken place at Bridlington since we joined York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

“We started with just three people taking part and ended up with 16 members of the team.

“Despite the rain it was a really great day some of the team members had never cycled more than 20 miles so it was very much a personal challenge. I would like to thank everyone for taking part, the support team, and to everyone who has sponsored us and sent in donations – we hope to have raised in excess of £5,000.  All money that we raise will go towards the Bridlington Orthopaedic Unit.

“I would also like to thank local Bridlington bike shop Chain Cycles and Giant in York for supplying us with yellow bikes, one to mark the finishing line in Bridlington and the start in York. Also AECOM for providing us with high visibility vests, as well as two team members!”

Following the sucess of the bike ride, the Trust hopes to organise a similar event for next year.

If you would like to sponsor the team it's not too late please contact Community Fundraiser Claire Smith on 01904 721737 or email Claire.smith@york.nhs.uk. 

16 July 2014