London to Paris round trip raises £22,000 for charity
After four long days and 600km of pedalling, cyclists Jeremy Sharland and Paul Butler have returned from a round trip to Paris with more than £22,000 raised for the charity Duchenne UK.
Jez,Paul,andtheircolleague Ian Playford, all from Chichester-based property developer Kingsbridge Estates, took on the epic 24-hour Duchenne Dash London to Paris ride in aid of Duchenne UK, which helps fund treatment and research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a devastating muscle-wasting disease affecting young children.
Jez and Paul had pledged to ride all the way back to the Kingsbridge Estates offices at Tangmere if they reached their fundraising target of £24,000 – and with that total tantalisingly close once they reached the French capital, they decided to keep to their word.
Supporters dug deep and now the pair have arrived back in West Sussex with £22,000 raised to help fund vital researchintoacureforDuchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
“It was a fantastic and rewarding trip in so many ways,” said Jez, Development Director at Kingsbridge Estates.
“We had a number of challenges to overcome, from rain, border delays, and technical problems with our bike computers to hunger, a lack of sleep and avoiding crazy Paris motorists!
“However, there were some amazing moments, like riding into Paris escorted by motorcycle outriders – it felt like we were in the Tour de France. Being part of a peloton of 160 riders on the Champs Elysees was an unforgettable experience, and a gala dinner on the Saturday night, hosted by Krishan Guru-Murthy, who helped set up the Duchenne Dash, was a great reminder of the reasons why we were putting ourselves through it.”
Paul, Chief Financial Officer at Kingsbridge Estates, added: “We are all keen cyclists, but this was a very long way and a huge challenge.
“This was Ian’s third Duchenne Dash ride for Duchenne UK, and we are grateful to him for getting us involved – he thought that we were mad to make the return trip and he was probably right! However, it was all worth it to raise such a fantastic amount. The three of us are grateful to every business and individual who has sponsored us for the event this year.”