Skandia staff get set to Pedal to Paris for Children's Cancer Unit

This July, six colleagues from Skandia, the Southampton based financial services company will embark on a 272-mile cycle challenge to raise money for Southampton General Hospital’s Piam Brown Ward and Cancer Research UK.

The six-day challenge will see the team depart from Skandia House, Southampton on 14 July, travelling around 50 miles each day, to reach Paris on 19 July. Camping along the way, the cyclists are funding their own trip, to ensure that all monies raised go directly to Southampton Hospital Charity’s Piam Brown Ward Fund, to benefit patients and their families on the Children’s Cancer Unit.

The Piam Brown Ward is the Wessex Regional Paediatric Oncology and Haematology Centre, treating children with all types of childhood cancers. Caring for children from a day old to 18 years of age, the 10-bed inpatient Unit treats around 90 new patients every year.

Skandia team members taking on the challenge include Alan Jerram, Liisa Lehtio, Jon Watt, Tiina Kononen, Thea Simon and Paivi Manner. Also joining the team will be friends Alan Kirk, Paul Turner and Ollie Boxall.

Team member Jon Watt said, "Every year, staff at Skandia nominate one national and one local charity to support. For 2010 we have chosen Southampton Hospital Charity’s Piam Brown Ward fund as our local beneficiary. When we heard about the great work carried out both on the ward and in the community, we wanted to make sure that we did as much as possible to raise funds for this very worthwhile cause."

"We feel that the values demonstrated by staff, patients and their families on the Unit very much reflect Skandia’s corporate values: respect, integrity, passion, pushing beyond boundaries and accountability. In taking on the cycle challenge to Paris, the team want to live these values, whilst raising as much money as possible for the Piam Brown Ward."

Before their departure, the team are aiming to clock up a combined total of 10,000 miles in training, and are also organising a number of fundraising activities, hoping to raise a total of more than £3,000.

To sponsor the team, please visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/PiamBrownCycle2Paris2010|.