A group of charity champions from Dundee are getting set for an epic Our Wullie BIG Bucket Trail cycle challenge to raise funds for the Archie Foundation.
Workers from ATM manufacturer NCR will ride to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen and back to Dundee after completing a more than 500-mile round trip of Scottish cities in just four and a half days.
Mike Rennie, Andrew Christie, Andrew Smith, Fraser Spowart, Graham Allan, Grant Kidd, Jenny Warden, Jim Colville, Michael Gillies, Phil Duncan and Zoe Ni Dhuinn-Bhig will set off from the Discovery building in Dundee on July 18.
The group, who will be joined by team car driver Ajit Choudhari and team mechanic Mark Sampson, hope to raise around £3,000 for the charity.
Mr Rennie organised the fundraising effort and praised the hard work and determination of team members in preparing for the challenge.
He said: “I’m a keen cyclist and organiser of charity events. Last year, we did a big cycle on the route of Maggie’s Penguin Parade. It was 125 miles and even that was a big ride for a lot of people.
“This year we are going to be covering more than 500 miles to raise money for the Archie Foundation. I’ve never had dealings with them personally but I know they do a lot of great work.
“It’s a long distance, a really stiff challenge over difficult roads. We’ll manage it but it will be tough. For every one of us it’s going to be a big step up in ability.
“We’ve been doing a lot of training and working with Archie to raise awareness. It’s exciting and intimidating at the same time but I’m really looking forward to setting off.”
The Archie Foundation was first set up in 2000 with the aim of raising money to build Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.
It now raises funds to make hospital wards more child-friendly by providing toys and equipment, including sensory rooms and specialist monitors. It also finances staff training and provides accommodation for parents in need.
Sarah Johnston, fundraising manager for the charity, said: “The reaction from the public to Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail so far has been humbling. So many people are out enjoying the sculptures and really engaging with the trail.
“Now it’s great to see businesses getting involved in the fun to help raise money for sick children in Tayside. It’s some effort from Mike and the team at NCR and we can’t thank them enough for raising money for Archie.
“They have shown incredible commitment to the challenge and our charity with months of work to make it happen, as you can’t just go on a 500-mile cycle around Scotland’s biggest cities without meticulous planning.
“They are so enthusiastic for the ride ahead and I look forward to seeing how they get on and the Oor Wulle selfies they snap along the way.”
You can donate to Mike and the team at justgiving.com/fundraising/bigbucket
