It was cold and windy, but spirits would not be dampened
Aaran Eade, managing director of Rock Up
Rock Up’s senior leadership have left St Stephens shopping centre in Hull to begin a 600-mile cycling challenge for BBC Children In Need. Departing at 9am on Sunday, the cyclists are due to finish in Somerset in six days’ time.
They will stop at every Rock Up location on route, which means some very hilly terrain between Sheffield and Manchester before heading down south via Birmingham. Councillor Cheryl Payne, Lord Mayor of Hull, cut the ribbon to see them off and they were waved down the red carpet by Children In Need mascot Pudsey Bear.
Aaran Eade, managing director of Rock Up, told the Hull Daily Mail: “Every year I challenge myself to do a charity event, and every year we don’t really do anything very well. So I came up with this challenge of cycling to all the Rock Up sites across the UK.
“It is 600 miles in six days. I asked the team, ‘Who’s in?’ and out of 350 staff I got three volunteers, but here we are at the start line.
“We are starting in Hull and will end up down in Somerset in Weston-super-Mare. Every day is either just above 100 miles or just below 100 miles.”
Despite the windy weather in the wake of Storm Amy, Aaran was optimistic about the conditions. “Today is great, he said. “It is cold, it is dry, and there are no clouds.”
He added: “The team have done some training, we’re not all huge cyclists. The challenge will be the mileage day after day.”
Aaran also thanked “amazing” staff and customers who have been raising money at Rock Up sites, as well as friends and family who have donated. Science in Sport has been supporting the challenge with energy products and Komoot has provided free use of its route-planner.
Children In Need is the UK’s largest independent funder of youth work. This year’s Appeal Show will be held on November 14.
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