Between Thursday 8th to Sunday 11th September 2022, Team Blakemore will be taking part in this year's GroceryAid Cycle Challenge. The team will be raising vital funds for GroceryAid, a national charity supporting colleagues working across all areas of the Grocery industry as well as their partners/spouses and dependents. They offer free emotional, practical, and financial support via a 24/7 freephone helpline and website.

Our riders will embark on their journey travelling through the beautiful Surrey hills before crossing the channel into Northern France. From here they will pass some wonderful scenery, into the Parisian suburbs and onto the magnificent Palace of Versailles. The sense of achievement our riders will feel crossing the finish line in the magnificent capital more than makes up for the saddle soreness that will soon wear off!

Let's meet the team!

Stuart Ware (BTP New Business Manager) will be raising money for Grocery Aid once again - despite suffering from dehydration on the first day of last year's cycling event! A glutton for punishment, Stuart has not learnt his lesson and is back once again - this time with 2 water bottles on his bike.

Bob Cash (Blakemore Fresh Foods Operations Manager). Over the last two years Grocery Aid has been a go to for several of the fresh food division staff. I want to give something back to the charity as a thank you for their good work.

Paul Vinnell (BTP New Business Executive). GroceryAid is a great charity to support, they are very well organised and do great work . I like to challenge myself and cycling this distance will be very challenging! I wish the best of luck to all my fellow cyclists and thank everybody for their support.

Phil Collins (Head of Development). I have taken part in a number of Ironman Triathlon’s and biking events over the years but missed out on the last charity bike ride in Wales due to holiday commitments. Grocery Aid has supported a number of my colleagues and I’m really pleased that I can help raise funds for the vital support they give, especially with the challenges ahead of us with the cost of living crisis ahead of everyone.

Iestyn Rhodes (Retail IT Systems Trainer). After taking part in the Coast to Coast challenge last year and seeing the amount of money we were able to raise, I really wanted to take part in the London to Paris cycle to do my part to help raise funds for a fantastic charity like GroceryAid that supports so many of my colleagues within the Grocery sector.

Go Team Blakemore!