Ready For Hope – Article in The Glazine

GM Fundraising’s Hope 66 cycling team are now ready with just a matter of days away from the start of their epic journey across America, along the path of the iconic Route 66. The team will set off on the 31st August from the beginning of Route 66 in Chicago, Illinois. Over the course of the 14 day challenge, riders will be tasked with riding across the windy plains of the mid-west, coping with the heat of the Sonoran and Mojave deserts and finally climbing the lofty heights of the Southern Rockies before arriving in Santa Monica, California.

The support crew of Dave Broxton, Mike Derham, Matthew Glover, Paul Godwin, Iain McInnes, Alan Rothwell and Alan Sadler are tasked with ensuring that the needs of the riders are met in terms health and safety, nutrition and navigation. The cyclists taking part in this epic adventure include Gary Morton, chairman of GM Fundraising, and Gary Torr, Keith Aspinall, Graeme Bailey, Mark Bromley, Leon Day, Dan Gill, Andrew Glover, Richard Gyde, Dean Hodges, Darren Lloyd, Dave Martin, Gareth Mobley, Richard Nowell and Dave Thomas.

In recognition of the fact that GM Fundraising directly supports Hope House Children’s Hospices, the team will be supported by three mascots, Keira, Robert and Rowan, whose names and photographs will be carried on the three support vehicles. Every day the riders will wear a badge bearing an image of the child whose name adorns their support vehicle.

Gary Morton, chairman of GM Fundraising comments: ‘A big thank you to all the people that have sponsored us so far, including the riders for their commitment, the support team for their considerable efforts and most especially, Mighton Products as our very proud headline sponsor. But please if you haven’t pledged your support yet, then spare a little money to help us get over the £1million barrier for the charity.’   To support the ride, simply log on to www.justgiving.com/teams/hope66 and you can either sponsor the team or any one individual. To follow the riders, there will be a live tracking feed at www.gmfundraising.co.uk and you can also add to their Twitter following @gmfundraising, or by liking their Facebook page.