IIZUKA's keen cyclists are raising money for two causes we support - Autism West Midlands  and Gunter Primary School in Erdington, Birmingham. Supporters are welcome to choose which cause they would like to support - or to support  both, of course!

As Gunter Primary is a school, not a registered charity, we're Crowdfunding to raise funds for them.

Our team fundraising target is £10,000. Your donation can really help us smash this goal.

On 1 July, four of us will be cycling 140 miles across England on the
famous Coast to Coast cycle trail from Whitehaven on the West coast to
Tynemouth on the East. Tradition dictates that we start with our rear
wheels in the Irish Sea and finish with our front wheels in the North
Sea.

The route takes in the hills of the Lake District and the Pennines and rises to over 2,000 feet, so it’s not for the faint-hearted, although the scenery is pretty spectacular.

Most people choose to complete the C2C ride over three or four days, but we’ve decided to do it in one…which will be a huge challenge.  (The record for the ride is 7 hours 53 minutes, but we’re not bionic!)

Our team comprises:

Greg Hayes – our MD and the driving force behind us agreeing to this
challenge… Greg is training hard, with a unique method which focuses on cycling from pub to pub rather than coast to coast! He claims this is
because it’s so important to keep hydrated over a long bike ride, but
we’re not so sure.

Steve Randerson – Technical Director.   Steve  is busily trying to find time to fit training in between visits to our customers, coordinating the IIZUKA development team and attempting to get two young children to their various swimming, dancing, gymnastics and trampolining activities; he’s currently attempting to master the art  of working, sleeping and cycling simultaneously, but isn’t having much
luck so far.

Mike Atkin – Infrastructure Manager. Mikey’s meticulous planning and attention to detail must mean we’ve put him in charge of keeping us on the right route, yes?

Richard Sawyer - Not actually a member of the IIZUKA team, but a friend who is bonkers enough to join the challenge.

Wendie  Hayes – Wendie has the unenviable task of being our support driver, getting us there and back, as well as carrying spares and food to keep us going.

In all seriousness, we’re training hard already, because this isn’t a challenge to be taken lightly.  So  we’re out in all weathers, cycling around 200-300 miles a week, pushing  ourselves up hills and trying to take in some off-road tracks too.  We’re  also cycling in to work every day, which, given the traffic and roads around Birmingham, (Spaghetti Junction anyone?!) is quite a hair-raising  challenge in itself!

So, why are we putting ourselves through this? Well, apart from the bragging rights that whoever crosses the line first will no doubt claim, we’re raising money for good causes.

As a company, we’re passionate about doing the right thing – and
raising money for good causes while getting fit and healthy is
definitely the right thing.

Autism WM support people with autism to live as independently as possible, in residential care, or in their own or the family home. They provide activities, events and support for families, and an information helpline, and also help people with autism to find and keep a job.

Any donation is welcome, from £1 to £1,000!

Thank you so much, your support will make a real difference.

Remember: Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never share them with anyone or send you unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. They'll make sure Gift Aid (an additional 25%) is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer, too. That means more money goes to the charity, faster, with JustGiving.