Mark Clements, Regional Support Manager of E Sargeant & Son Funeral Directors in Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead, cycled the distance between London and Brighton on a small Brompton bicycle as part of his funeral home’s five-year commitment to raise £50,000 for Thames Hospice.
Mark put his unconventional bike to the test by cycling 57 miles from Slough to Woodley and back, while stopping at several Funeral Partners funeral homes along the way.
He said: “This bike is iconic around London, where you’ll often see commuters folding them up into buses, trains and taxis. I thought it would make a great challenge to go further and try for over 50 miles.”
“I visited the E Sargeant & Son funeral homes and their sister branches across a five-and-a-half hour ride, including Miles & Daughters Funeral Directors in Twyford and Richard Lloyd Funeral Services in Woodley.”
The M6L Brompton bicycle is traditionally used by commuters looking to easily stow their bikes when traveling across cities, with just six gears, 16-inch wheels and a light frame to carry.
To continue supporting E Sargeant & Son’s pledge of raising £10,000 annually for Thames Hospice for five years – of which the funeral directors is now in its fourth year – Mark got the idea to push the limits of the nifty bicycle across his home county in a sponsored ride.
He described: “The ride was surprisingly bearable. Although my legs felt like jelly towards the end of the route, it was an enjoyable day.”
The bike ride has so far raised £820 in sponsorships and Gift Aid donations through a page created by Mark on JustGiving, the online fundraising platform.
The funds will be used by Thames Hospice to support people with life-limiting illnesses through high-quality palliative and end-of-life care across Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.
Jane Symmons, Head of Major Gifts at Thames Hospice, said: “Funeral Partners has been generously supporting Thames Hospice for a number of years, and it is because of this ongoing partnership that we are both able to care for so many people in our communities.
“Thanks so much Mark for your amazing effort, it is no easy feat. I would encourage everyone to support Mark if they can by donating generously to his JustGiving page.”
Donations can be made towards Mark’s sponsored bike ride at https://bit.ly/3D2mhnH
To support E Sargeant & Son’s 2020/21 fundraising activities for Thames Hospice – which have so far included a quiz at Arbour Park Stadium and climb over the O2 Arena – visit https://esargeant.dedicationpage.org/thameshospice2020
