1st Aug 2011 - 00:00
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Anne Pierce, chief executive of Springboard and her husband Noel recently completed the Exclusive Hotels' 30Thirty30 charity ride (24 July), cycling in total 475 kilometres over four days.
The team set off on 20 July from Exclusive Hotels' Fanham's Hall Hotel in Herts and visited Exclusives' Royal Berkshire Hotel (funnily enough) in Berks and Pennyhill Park in Surrey to Manor House in Castle Combe, Wiltshire, to Lainston House Hotel in Hants and finally to Mannings Heath and South Lodge hotel in West Sussex. Springboard Trustees Julia Sibley, David Noble and Mike McGraw also completed legs of the cycle, as did friends from all over the industry - sponsors and Business Partners - who joined the team for various legs. Keen participants included Nicholas Rettie, Jonathan Raggett - Red Carnation Hotels, Kenneth Spiers - The Halkin, David Taylor - The Hoxton, Andy Swann, Charly Ross and Yousouf Neeto - Gauntlet Insurance, Iain Baillie - South Downs College and Philippe Rossiter - from Institute of Hospitality who ran a 32 mile leg on the Saturday followed by a 26 mile stint on Sunday to meet at the finishing point. Anne pierce commented on the ride: "It was an epic journey, full of incidents, laughter, pain, crashes, punctures, hills, mountains etc etc ...but we did it, have got loads of 'war stories' and I have to say am completely overwhelmed by the whole event. "The welcomes and send offs we got at every hotel (balloons, hooters, saucepan banging, clapping and cheering) will stay in my memory for a long time - as will the incredibly emotional finish at South Lodge where we were presented to an audience of over 1,000 people enjoying an open air big band concert!!
"It would not have been possible without the fantastic support from all of our generous sponsors and I owe huge thanks to 3663 for the much needed cookies, muffins and flapjack, to Cadbury for the delicious chocolate bars, to Coca Cola for the abbey well water and powerade and to Reynolds for the fruit. "Thanks must also go to all of the Springboard and Macmillan Staff/volunteers who gave up their time at the drinks and lunch stops - and our wonderful donors who have collectively helped to raise over £55k for Macmillan Cancer Care and £30K for Springboard. The support from Exclusive Hotels', Danny Pecorelli, Rupert Spurgeon GM South Lodge Hotel and David Connell GM Lainston House Hotel should also be recognised.
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