A team of 12 cyclists, which included staff from Mitsubishi Electric and refrigeration and air conditioning specialist Pitkin & Ruddock, set out from Ipswich last Friday to bike 220 miles raising vital funds for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI).

Two days later, the team arrived safely at the RNLI College in Poole, having raised more than £7,000. 

They faced some challenging conditions including torrential freezing rain, snow and energy-sapping steep hills. In addition, they encountered multiple punctures, the odd slip and fall but it was all worth it as they arrived in sunshine at the RNLI College.

The 220 mile route took them through some of Southern England’s most beautiful areas to avoid the main highways. To keep them going the group would stop every 30 miles or so to refuel and for a safety check. The weather was bad at times, at one point the accompanying Support Crew Manager wanted to call the challenge off, but the group persevered.   

Damian Nunn, Sales Director at Pitkin & Ruddock who came up with the idea of the cycling challenge.

Pitkin & Ruddock’s sales director, Damian Nunn, wanted to mark the successful completion of the company’s air-conditioning refit contract for the RNLI hotel and offices in Poole. He said: “I just felt that if we all pulled together we could raise some valuable funds for this amazing charity that relies wholly on donations for their great work. I just can’t believe we did it, I’m very proud of the whole team. We just couldn’t have done it without our support crew, families and friends and of course our sponsors.”

The group was supported by a number of their main suppliers and sub-contractors and wish to thank Mitsubishi Electric and Pitkin & Ruddock Ltd, Fixxy, Austin Heating, Abbeygate Electrical, West Engineering, Mabey Francis and Interserve.

The 12 cyclists included: Damian Nunn, Mark Cole, Lee Allard of Pitkin & Ruddock, Andy Burt, Andy Chesham of Mitsubishi Electric, Bonny Howes, Jason Cook, Rob Humphries, James Burnett, Ian Lewis, Phil Curtis and Shane Chapman. They were supported on route by Dean Clackett and Charlie Robinson.

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, while RNLI lifeguards provide a seasonal lifeguard service on selected beaches. The RNLI rescues an average of 22 people from the water every day, in situations that are often difficult and sometimes dangerous.