Grecians fans help to raise £1million pounds in aid of Prostate Cancer UK
PROUDLY REPRESENTING Exeter City Football Club, riders Jake and John Wood, Gary Ruffell, David Pullum, Paul Broadberry and Will Flint spun through the streets of Amsterdam on Sunday after completing the ‘Football to Amsterdam’ cycle challenge in aid of Prostate Cancer UK.The six men from Devon joined more than 350 riders from Football League clubs up and down the country for the 145-mile journey to the Dutch capital, with a view to raising a total of half a million pounds for the charity. The £500,000 raised will help ‘shift the science’ and crack the three core issues of diagnosis, treatment and prevention which have been left unsolved for too long. It will also help provide support and information to those affected by the disease.
From the initial event in 2013 with a small group of thirty-five riders, to a total fundraising tally which will smash through the £1million mark this year thanks to a biggest ever peloton; the football-themed cycling challenge has proved to be a phenomenal success throughout its four years.
James Beeby, Director of Fundraising at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “Ignoring prostate cancer will not beat it, and the money raised by our fantastic riders will fund ground-breaking research to help fight the disease. That will help us provide dedicated support and information to men and their families affected by this disease.
“Our amazing cast of riders from across the UK show a brilliant demonstration of what we call Men United: people joining one team to fight for a common opposition – prostate cancer.
“One man every hour dies from prostate cancer; it’s the most common cancer in men, but we want to make prostate cancer a disease that the next generation of men do not fear. We thank Exeter City for joining the fight.”
Jake Wood, Commercial Coordinator for the Grecians, commented after the ride that: “It was a tough opening day, especially making our way up some of the hills on the way to the ferry crossing. But what got everybody through was the camaraderie of the riders; putting club rivalries aside for a great cause. It was an amazing experience and I would recommend it to anyone.”
You can still sponsor Jake and John by visiting their Just Giving page here.
For more information about the ride, visit prostatecanceruk.org/amsterdam, contact the cycling team by calling 020 8222 7158 or email cycling@prostatecanceruk.org.