Ryegate Makeover Team Get Back on Their Bikes to Fund Next Project!

Ryegate Makeover Team Get Back on Their Bikes to Fund Next Project!

12 September 2011

The charity cycle team who transformed  a run down therapy block at Sheffield Children’s Hospital earlier this year are back in the saddle today peddling to raise money for the next phase of the much needed renovation work.

The team fielded by Dransfield Properties Ltd, made headlines in March this year when they decided to make the money they’d raised for the Ryegate Therapy Block at Crosspool in Sheffield go a lot further by pitching in their time, skills and contacts to renovate the run down centre.

The centre was transformed over a weekend with new flooring, units, treatments areas, storage and play equipment as well as a complete new colour scheme and entrance area.

Now the team are back on their bikes and today (Monday) they have started their three and a half day challenge to cover the 340 miles from Portofino to Rome by Thursday evening.

They’re hoping to raise £50,000 overall for their three chosen charities including the Children’s Hospital Charity where they’re planning another weekend makeover – this time transforming Ryegate’s hydroptherapy  pool area where hundreds of children receive vital treatment every year.

It’s the longest journey so far in the five years that the team have been riding together and will end with the challenge of cycling through Rome’s notoriously chaotic traffic to get to the centre of the Italian capital on Thursday.

Nicknamed the MAMILS – Middle Aged Men in Lycra – the riders took their first journey from London to Paris in 2007, since then they’ve raised more than £180,000 for charity and covered a total of 1060 miles.

The charity cycle ride was founded by brothers Mark and Paul Dransfield. Mark is the Managing Director of South Yorkshire’s Dransfield Properties Ltd and Paul heads the construction firm PDR in Hull.

As well as the children’s hospital the team is also raising funds for The NSPCC  and Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research – helping to fund research into the treatment of childhood leukaemia at Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Sheffield University

Charity ride founder and Managing Director at Dransfield Properties, Mark Dransfield, said: “Taking part in the Ryegate makeover earlier this year was a great experience and shows what can be done when people pitch in and pull together.

"We've already had loads of offers of help with the next phase which we're raising money for this week. We're hoping to raise enough money to return and continue the work by upgrading the hydrotherapy pool area next.

"It is going to be a tough challenge this year as it’s the longest ride yet – and we’re all middle aged blokes  – but we’re determined to raise as much as we can for the charities we’re supporting.”

Cat Powell, Arts for Health Co-ordinator from the hospital who is managing the project which this year’s ride will help to fund, said: “Last year’s involvement by the Dransfield bike team made an amazing difference to the patients who use our Therapy Block at Ryegate.

“I am delighted that the team are back again to transform our hydrotherapy pool area and am confident this will be a huge improvement to the environment of this specialist facility.”

The team plan to cover a route every year and get back to London Bridge by 2020. They are keeping in touch on facebook and twitter so please look out for TEAMDRANSFIELD on line.

To support the team visit the fundraising page 

Picture shows Tim and Will Downing and Andrew Malley on last year's ride from Marseille in France to Portofino in Italy where this year’s challenge starts.

For further information or to arrange media interviews contact Amanda Holmes on 01226 350644 mobile 07747 621902 email amanda.holmes@dransfield.co.uk

Team stats and info:

This year there are 15 cyclists taking part from Sheffield, Grimsby, Hull and Merseyside. The team’s ages range from just under 40 to a little over 60.

This is the fifth leg of the DPL and PDR Tour of Europe.

·         2007 – The team set off from London Bridge and covered the 200 miles from London to Paris.

·         2008 – Picking up at Paris the cycle team covered 285 miles to Lyon.

·         2009 – The 265 miles went from Lyon to Marseilles and included the notorious Mont Ventoux which regularly features in the Tour de France.  

·         2010 – The team picked up the route in Marseilles and headed for the Italian coastal town of Portofino where this year’s tour will start.

Meet the team: From Sheffield: Mark Dransfield, Paul Singleton, Peter Crossland, John White, Mark Yardley and Nick Rees. From Hull: Paul Dransfield, David Maughan, Alec Cammish, Michael Crooks. From Lincolnshire: Geoff Thomas, Will Downing, Tim Downing, and Dean Draper. From Merseyside: Andrew Malley.

For further information, contact:

Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: pr@dransfield.co.uk