From Friday 7 to Sunday 9 September, over 30 SSE Ireland employees got on their bikes to raise over €30,000 for Make-A-Wish Ireland.
The SSE Ireland Charity Cycle left the company’s headquarters in Leopardstown, Co. Dublin on Friday morning, and weaved its way through Ireland’s midlands to the finish at Galway Wind Park, which was jointly developed by SSE and Coillte. The 400km cycle took the team through Kildare, Laois, Offaly and Tipperary before finishing at Ireland’s largest wind farm on the Connemara coast.
The cyclists covered a combined 12,000km over the three-day cross-country route - equivalent to more than three Tour de France races. While none of the SSE riders were pushing for a yellow jersey, they can certainly be proud of their efforts with almost €35,000 raised for Make-A-Wish Ireland, a children's charity which grants the wishes of children and young people with life-threatening medical conditions.
Speaking from the finish line at Galway Wind Park, SSE employee and event organiser, Maria Browne, said: “It’s been a privilege to be part of this incredible event. We’re all immensely proud of the hard work and training that went into making the cycle a success, but even prouder that we surpassed our fundraising target of €30,000 for such an incredible cause.”
Another of the cyclists, Ho Lap-Tse added: “It was gruelling at some stages, and by day three we were all feeling the strain of the previous 300km, but the team worked together and supported each other over the line. It was an amazing experience for everyone involved and it was worth all the efforts for our charity partner, Make-A-Wish Ireland.”
SSE Ireland would like to thank their generous sponsors for the SSE Ireland Charity Cycle: Hansen CX, Siemens Gamesa, MHI Vestas, Mason Hayes & Curran, Roadbridge, CycleSuperstore, Leading Edge, KIND Snacks and PWC, and would also like to say a big thank you to Blood Bikes Ireland for keeping the team safe along the way.
Article Published: 25/09/2018