Story
Saddle up for Football to
Amsterdam in aid of Prostate Cancer UK
Prostate Cancer UK, the Official Charity Partner of The Football
League, will stage its fourth annual football fundraiser, Football to Amsterdam
from June 3-5, 2016.
The hugely popular cycling challenge will now kick off from two
locations – a northern leg starting from Oakwell, the home of Barnsley FC while
the southern leg will start from the iconic Olympic Park – in a bid to recruit
500 riders from the football family to ride together for Men United.
Earlier this year a 250-strong peloton including former international
football stars Terry Butcher, Matt Holland and Luther Blissett, not to mention
riders representing clubs throughout The Football League – and beyond - raised
more than £350,000 by cycling from London to Amsterdam.
Preston North End manager Simon Grayson made the trip in
honour of his close mate, Stephen ‘Garby’ Garbett, who died in September 2014.
He joined Stephen’s son David, who also completed the 145-mile ride, at an
exclusive behind-the-scenes event hosted by Professor Norman Maitland at a research
facility at the University of York earlier this month to find out how the
fundraising efforts are helping Men United make important signings for the
season ahead.
Whilst the North End manager has sharpened his squad for their return
to the Championship, the team at Prostate Cancer UK have also made some
important decisions to allow a new generation of prostate cancer researchers to
rise up through the ranks.
With a respectable transfer budget of £500,000, Prostate Cancer UK can
add five new PhD students to strengthen their Men United squad and provide
creative and attacking flair to tackle the disease.
Grayson said: “To ride in memory of my close friend, Stephen, and to
do it with his son and some other great lads was an emotional journey. I won a
medal for getting Preston to the Championship, but the medal I received for
completing the challenge meant so much too.
”Mark Bishop, Director of Fundraising at Prostate Cancer UK, said:
“Riders who represent clubs up and down the land show a brilliant demonstration
of what we call Men United: people joining one team to fight a common
opposition – prostate cancer. These vital funds raised – our transfer kitty -
will help us fund research to help fight the disease and will help us provide
dedicated support and information to men and their families affected by
prostate cancer.”
For more information about the ride visit prostatecanceruk.org/amsterdam,
call 0203 310 7034 or email cycling@prostatecanceruk.org.