For many people in developing countries, walking is the primary mode of transportation. Going to school, visiting the health clinic, and delivering goods to market can become everyday challenges due to the barrier of distance. 

World Bicycle Relief (WBR) helps cater for the needs of people living in impoverished or disaster areas of the world by distributing specially-designed, locally assembled, rugged bicycles. As of April 2019, WBR has delivered over 450,000 bicycles into rural areas of the developing world whose mission for sustainable change is mobilizing people through the power of bicycles and envisioning a world where distance is no longer a barrier to education, healthcare and economic opportunity. The charity has developed an efficient, innovative and scalable model to successfully address the need for reliable and affordable transportation in the developing world.

Cycling route from London to Paris and this year’s enthusiastic participants

On Thursday, 25th July 2019 to Sunday, 28th July 2019, 20 clients and five colleagues – Chris Redfern, Chris McHale, Jack Morris, Andrew Warry and Russell Norman – within Corporate International Payments and FX at moneycorp, will cycle from London to Paris to raise funds for World Bicycle Relief.  

On the first day, participants will take the undulating route from London to Portsmouth (153km/1,584m elevation) to catch the overnight ferry heading to Caen – one of the oldest university towns in France.

After a well-rested journey on the ferry, day two will begin with a ride from Caen to Chartres (192km/1,475 elevation) renowned for its first UNESCO World Heritage cathedral and for Dylan Groenewegen winning stage 7 in the Tour de France 2018.  

On the third and final day, participants will ride from Chartres to Paris (109km/934km elevation), arriving at the Champs-Élysées to watch the Tour de France 2019.

We sat down with Christopher Redfern, Dealing Manager at moneycorp and Russell Norman, International Dealer & Senior Portfolio Manager at moneycorp to hear their thoughts pre-event:

 

What do you enjoy most about fundraising? 

Chris: “I know WBR very well and they’re a great charity making a real difference to people’s lives through a simple bicycle. Every £95 we raise is one more bike so we can directly see where our fundraising goes.”

Russell: “I’ve always raised money on the back of cycling events which I enjoy, this seems appropriate in that someone less fortunate is benefiting from something that I am very lucky to be able to do. 

I’ve done London to Brighton, Ride 100 a few times and also Velo Birmingham so London to Paris seems like an appropriate next step.

As the years pass I’ve become more conscious and thankful for my privileged life in comparison to others less fortunate. You can make your own luck to some extent but life is still a huge lottery. I wasn’t born with 6 numbers and the bonus ball but I definitely got a few matching numbers compared to some people in the world and we shouldn’t ignore this.”

 

Is this your first time cycling from London to Paris to fundraise for World Bicycle Relief? 

Chris: “This is the third London to Paris Bike ride we’ve done for WBR but this will be the fourth time I’ve cycled from London to Paris. It’s not a bad place to end up if you’re going to put yourself through 3 days of pain.”

Russell: “I have never done this challenge so I am extremely excited. The entire trip sounds great fun as well as challenging, for me the perfect mix!”

 

What challenges will you most likely encounter? 

Chris: “Lots of hills on our first day down to Portsmouth and day 2 is 120 miles which is a long day in the saddle, especially if the sun is out!”

Russell: “I’m yet to discover if the hardest part of this trip for me will be the saddle sore, the lactic acid build up in the quads or the constant struggle to keep up with the more experienced moneycorp cyclists the two Chris’s! It could even be being away from my 2 young children although the wife may argue she will have the biggest challenge as she will have no relief from our baby who doesn’t like to sleep at night for 4 nights! Good luck love!

I’m hoping my children will be proud of me and will be inspired in some way, to challenge themselves, to see the world and of course to be charitable and selfless.”

 

What would you recommend to your fellow fundraisers during your three-day ride? 

Chris: “Take your time, try and soak the experience up and enjoy it rather than thinking about the pain. Also break up every day. Set small targets like 10 miles at a time as it will make the whole thing more manageable psychologically.” 

 

What are you most looking forward to? 

Chris: “Arriving in Paris, all in our moneycorp/WBR kit, cycling down the Champs-Elysees and around the centre of Paris and its beautiful sites, it’s a great sense of achievement and camaraderie and it’s also great knowing that the next day I don’t have to sit on a bike again.”

Russell: “I’m looking forward to discovering the sights, sounds and tastes the 280miles of English and French roads have to offer. Cycling is the best way to see the countryside and discover what’s around the next corner!”

 

Get involved and make a difference

We are dedicated to improving lives worldwide. In the last two years, we successfully raised over £40,000 for World Bicycle Relief and, with your support, we are aiming to raise more for 2019.  

A big thank you to our Charity Committee at moneycorp for donating £750 towards our fundraising targets. Help support this cause by sharing and donating here.