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- Vision Express sets £30,000 target for charity cycle challenge
Vision Express sets £30,000 target for charity cycle challenge
PepsiCo UK general manager, Ian Ellington, has joined the Ride4sight team
12 September 2018
A team of Vision Express cyclists are pedalling to raise more than £30,000 for the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT).
The team, who will take part in the multiple’s Ride4sight challenge on 13–14 September, has set the fundraising target to mark the multiple’s 30th anniversary.
The cyclists include Vision Express’ CEO Jonathan Lawson, Olympian Bryan Steel and Paralympian Darren Harris. The general manager of PepsiCo UK, Ian Ellington (pictured below), whose son has survived a diagnosis of cancer, has also joined the group.
Mr Ellington’s son, Tom, was diagnosed with retinoblastoma (Rb) at the age of two. Having received support from the CHECT, Mr Ellington became a trustee of the charity and is currently its chair.
He commented: “Children get squints a lot, but many parents don’t realise that they are one of the most common symptoms of Rb. Often, they’re not picked up by GPs as a symptom because eye cancer is so rare. I hadn’t heard of Rb before Tom’s diagnosis – I didn’t even know you could get eye cancer, especially not in children.”
The two-day Ride4sight challenge, which covers 300km, begins at Vision Express’ headquarters in Ruddington, Nottingham, with the route passing stores in Hanley, Crewe and Macclesfield. During the challenge, riders will be supported on by young eye cancer survivors and their families who are turning out to show their support.
The ride will finish at Vision Express’ headquarters, with the team passing the multiple’s Matlock store, as well as its new Vision Express at Tesco store in Toton on the way back.
Mr Lawson said: “It’s a genuine challenge for the volunteers who undertake this ride and its purpose hits home when we hear stories of bravery from Ian’s son Tom, and the young eye cancer survivors who have agreed to come out to support us over the two days. This year’s Ride4Sight will be especially poignant for me, as it will be my last as CEO, so I’m looking forward to working with the team to give it a big push and raise as much money, and awareness for this condition, as we possibly can.”
Vision Express has been in partnership with CHECT since 2010, establishing initiatives to raise awareness of Rb and drive donations for the charity.
Donations can be made by texting VERS66 £1 to 70070 or online.
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