A group of Staffordshire businessmen have completed a 150-mile bike ride from Stoke to London raising in excess of £2,500 for local charity, Dougie Mac.

Will Dooley, CEO of safety compliance solutions specialists, Safety First Group, Steve Haynes and Pete Durber from Browns Distributions and Rich Taylor, owner of Tailored Floors, came together to embark on the fundraising challenge, with their respective businesses acting as key sponsors for the event.

The five-strong group, which included mutual friend Ash Flannagan, embarked on their adventure from Etruria in Stoke, on Thursday 13th June travelling 150 miles along the Trent and Mersey and Grand Union canal routes before arriving in London's iconic Trafalgar Square at lunchtime today. 

Commenting on the challenge, Will said: "Each of us has come into contact with Dougie Mac during our lives and we were all united in the desire to give back to them, appreciating the incredibly important role they have played in our lives and in the lives of thousands of people in the local community during very difficult times. 

The group has raised over £2,500 for Dougie Mac so far (Image supplied).

"There's no denying the last few days have been physically and mentally hard for each of us but that's exactly why we picked this challenge – we wanted to push ourselves and get out of our comfort zone, knowing that even though it felt monumental to us, it pails no comparison to the challenges faced by those Dougie Mac work tirelessly to support.

"The team spirit and overwhelming desire to raise as much money as possible has been the wind in our sale and the motivation we needed to keep going with a smile on our face – we were astounded to hear we had surpassed our fundraising goal of £2,000, knowing what a huge difference it will make. Our JustGiving page will be open for a few more days for any final donations to come in – we would absolutely love to hit the £2,500 mark if we can!"

Dougie Mac provides hospice services free of charge to over 3,500 local people with life-limiting illnesses each year in Stoke-on-Trent, North Staffordshire and surrounding areas.

Deborah Vickers, Head of Business and Events Fundraising at Dougie Mac, said "A massive well done and thank you to all the cyclists who have completed this epic challenge to raise money for Dougie Mac. We're so grateful for your support and the money you've raised will help us to continue our vital care services for local children, young adults and adults. On their behalf I'd like to say a huge thank you."

Donations can still be made here.

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