Staff from leading South Devon law firm Wollen Michelmore and TNW Financial Services are training hard on bike and foot for a marathon fundraising effort this September.
Practice Director of Wollen Michelmore Clive Meredith will be cycling from London to Paris on Saturday 21st September with Tim Woolnough, Director of TNW Financial Services, while solicitor Magdalene Panayiotou from Wollen Michelmore will be climbing Ben Nevis along with her two friends Katy Farmer and Rachael Baird on the same weekend.
All are raising funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.
The charity was chosen in memory of one of Magdalene’s best friends Rachel Banks who also grew up in Torquay. Rachel was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at the age of three months and died in 2008 at the age of just 24
Magdalene said: “I have previously raised over £3,000 for the Trust by doing various car boot sales, a Christmas card amnesty, cake sales and a big quiz and music night in Torquay. Half of the money went towards local young CF sufferers to buy things like Wii Fits as a fun way to exercise at home or in hospital to try and improve lung capacity and physical bulk. The other half went to the CF Trust to help research. I am very grateful that Clive, Tim and my friends have offered their support to the charity and hope to raise lots more money this year.
“We are doing lots of training walks locally, up on Dartmoor and around the coast. We are very excited and are praying for good weather so we can enjoy the amazing view from the top of The Ben!”
Magdalene’s 4,406 foot climb up Ben Nevis is not her first. She has previously scaled Macchu Pichu in Peru, Chacaltaya in Bolivia and Franz Josef glacier in New Zealand.
Clive and Tim’s 320 mile bike ride between London and Paris is also not their first marathon fundraising ride. The route will see them average 80 miles a day for four days.
Clive said: “Eighteen months ago Tim and I organised a coast to coast challenge for ten of us from Ilfracombe to Plymouth which was 100 miles in aid of Children’s Hospice South West. I was looking for a bigger challenge and when I heard of what happened to Magdalene’s friend, this seemed the perfect opportunity to get involved.
“Our route will take us from South West London across Kent to catch the ferry to Calais, through beautiful French countryside and forest to finish – no doubt a little sore! – at the Eiffel Tower.”
Magdalene added: “Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease caused by a faulty gene that controls the movement of salt and water in and out of the cells within the body. Over 9,000 people in the UK have CF. There is no cure for Cystic Fibrosis but through fundraising for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust we hope to help fund research into gene therapy and other treatments to alleviate the symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis.”
So far, a Quiz Night, Bikers and Hikers Race Night and sponsorship has raised a massive £4,500 towards their goal.
South West CF Events manager Audrey Williams said: “We are so grateful to Magdalene and Clive for their efforts. Every penny we raise makes such a difference in our fight to make sure that people with Cystic Fibrosis receive the very best care available and we desperately need the funds to enable us to continue the wide range of practical help and support we currently provide.”
