I was shocked to hear that two construction workers take their own lives, every working day in the UK. Long working hours, tight deadlines, lack of a routine, working in isolation and separation from their families, all contribute to poor mental health within the industry. After being asked by a ‘very old’ friend to cycle the 355-mile Pennine Cycleway route from Derby to Berwick-upon-Tweed – close to the Anglo-Scottish border – I decided to use it as an opportunity to raise awareness and funds for a charity that supports the backbone of UK construction; an industry I have worked in for the last thirty years. If my gruelling adventure saves just one life, it’ll be the most rewarding thing I have ever done.

A little bit about me; my name is Craig Sanders, and I am managing director of Protrade. We supply the construction industry with tools, fixings, and other consumables. I’m certainly not a keen cyclist; in fact, hadn’t been on my bike for over four years until 6 weeks before the scheduled commencement date. My fellow riders are Joey and Tim; we’re old school friends that go back over forty years. You can probably tell from the photos – we’re not exactly ‘in-shape’, so this will be challenging to say the least.

Any contribution, no matter how big or small, will be hugely appreciated. Thank you for taking time to read about my story and our upcoming journey.