Biking bonanza raises thousands for The Benevolent

By Andrew Catchpole

Published: 16 August, 2018

Strollers on the Sussex South Downs last weekend may have witnessed a peloton of 22 intrepid wine trade riders whizzing by on a 116 km ride to raise money for The Benevolent.

On a route that took them from Rathfinny to Bolney estates and back again by way of a gruelling climb up Ditchling Beacon, riders including lycra-clad trade luminaries such as Andrew Hawes of Mentzendorff and Andrew Shaw of Bibendum then offset their biking bravado with a hearty BBQ paired with the best of English bubbles to round off the day.

Dubbed ‘Le Tour d’Estates’, the ride was conceived and organised by Andrew Shaw and Philip Tuck MW as the latest initiative to raise money for the wine trade’s Benevolent charity.

Felix Tuck, Philip Tuck’s son, won ‘King of the Hills’ for his ascent racing up and down the vertiginous and winding Ditchling Beacon.

“I cannot think of a better way to combine the enjoyment of the company of friends and colleagues in the trade, while engaging in highly beneficial exercise in wonderful countryside, whilst raising valuable funds for The Benevolent,” Hatch Mansfield’s Tuck told Harpers.

“The ride last Sunday in Sussex did exactly that. What’s not to like? It’s a no brainer and I would encourage the entire trade to embrace this initiative which will, hopefully, become an annual fixture in the wine trade calendar.”

Hawes added: “There was a fantastic shared sense of support for The Benevolent among all riders and supporters last Sunday. We rode to raise funds and also awareness for the work that our charity is doing and which still not enough people in the trade are aware of.”

Monies raised will help support the Benevolent’s #NotAlone campaign, which is helping highlight and tackle mental health issues in the workplace.

While the ride raised several thousand pounds, donations are still coming in and readers that would like to contribute can still do so via the bike ride’s JustGiving site here or below to help the event hit its £20,000 target.

The Benevolent’s chief executive Chris Porter added: “I cannot thank the teams at Rathfinny and Bolney Estates enough for their incredibly generous support [and] the inspirational team of riders whose efforts I witnessed first-hand from the support vehicle!”

The Benevolent is the trade charity for people who are currently working, or have worked, in the UK drinks industry in any role and in any trade sector. It is the only charity that supports employees, or former employees, from every area of the UK drinks industry providing practical, emotional and financial help.

Donations are still possible via the bike ride’s JustGiving site here.

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