Stagecoach staff swap 4 wheels for 2

Stagecoach South West pledged its support for a team of super fit staff who are cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats (LEJOG) to raise money for charity, yesterday (19 August).

The trio - comprised of Jeff Hiscoke, Clive Gillman and Andrew Bradford - left Land’s End on 17 August and are aiming to complete the 1048 miles in just 17 days, arriving in John O’Groats on 2 September. They are using state-of-the-art tracking equipment that will enable supporters, friends and family to monitor their progress, during which they will be covering up to 90 miles in a single day.

The team are passing through Exeter Bus Station on August 19 where Stagecoach senior managers will be on hand to wish them well. In addition, the company has made a donation of £700 to cover the cost of a support vehicle accompany the team along the entire route.

Michael Watson, Managing Director of Stagecoach South West, commented: “We are really proud of our staff and delighted to help; the support vehicle is a very important backup for these endurance events.  We wish them all the very best of luck and would encourage others to support them too and donate.”

Team member Jeff Hiscoke said: “All donations received will be split equally between three charities - Saint Francis Hospice, Cancer Research UK and British Heart Foundation.

"We chose them because Saint Francis Hospice looked after my niece, Justine Rollinson, at the end of her long battle with breast cancer; Cancer Research as all of the team have had friends and family affected by cancer and, finally, the British Heart Foundation in memory of the late Bob Crow, General Secretary of the RMT union.”

Jeff added: “I will be using a GPS ‘real time’ tracking device during the event, which will send information back to our web pages each day during the event. When you click on the link, a map will open showing where we are, where we have been, our speed, my heart rate and my cadence, all in real time!”

The cyclists will be joined en route by other Stagecoach staff as they pass through different operating companies, culminating in a warm welcome at John O’Groats from Stagecoach Orkney’s Operations Manager, William Maclean, who worked with the trio when he spent six months seconded to Stagecoach South West in 2012.

To make a donation please go to Virgin Giving here.