Laithwaites cycle challenge raises £3,350 for Reading hospice

Berkshire-headquartered online wine specialists Laithwaites have raised £3,350 for the Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in Reading via a massive cycle ride from Gloucestershire.

Manny Oliveira, brand partnership manager at the wine home delivery firm, led the team.

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"We undertook a challenging bike ride from our distribution centre in Gloucester to our head office in Theale, covering a total distance of 120 kilometres," she said.

"It took us six hours and 45 minutes to complete the journey. The highlight of our ride was conquering a very steep hill known as Birdlip Hill, which was a real struggle reaching 28% gradient at its peak.

"Along the way, we had the chance to stop at some fantastic places. The scenery at Cotswold Water Park was beautiful, and we also visited a delightful pub where a cold Coca Cola felt like the best reward, especially considering the scorching weather with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees!"

The company has supported the Reading hospice since 2020 after a much-loved colleague was cared for there before they died in 2019.

In the last three years Laithwaites has raised £88,000 for the charity.

"We’re so grateful to Laithwaites for their dedicated support since 2020 and their latest fundraising challenge is an incredible achievement," said Jennifer Patient, senior community fundraiser at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice.

"The funds raised will make a huge difference in helping us to be there when it matters for people going through the most difficult times of their lives."

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