A dedicated group of SSE employees braved the elements to complete a gruelling 600-mile charity bike ride in just three days.
The kind-hearted team of 12 - Mark Rowlands, John Andrews, Darren Thomas, David Davidson, Darren Vale, David Cameron, Simon Rodaway, David Chivers and Rachael Getty - are all based at SSE’s Penner Road office.
They were supported on the road by colleagues Stewart Lipscombe, Craig Lawrence and Paul Cripps.
The cycle began at SSE’s headquarters in Perth on Wednesday 6 May and the team pedalled the length of the country without stopping for three days and two nights – arriving at Hayling Island off the Portsmouth coast on Friday.
Mark Rowlands, Networks Support and Development Team Leader, was the man behind the idea.
He said: “All the money raised will go towards Sam’s Haven, a new charity which provides respite holidays to families of children with life-limiting conditions at Queen Alexander Hospital in Portsmouth.
“The charity is raising funds to pay off a loan on a caravan on a holiday park, allowing it to continue offering free holidays to families.
“Most of us only stress on where we will go on holiday and hope the sun is shining. These children just wish they could be outside not stuck in a hospital ward hence the reason why this charity was started.
“Sam has spent much of his life in hospital and his parents have witnessed a remarkable change in him during their visits to the holiday park.”
“The reason we did the cycle is because we want to help them pay off the caravan so that they can concentrate on keeping the charity going.”
The route took the team via Cumbernauld, Carlisle, Tamworth, Towchester and Uxbridge before crossing the finish line.
There is an online page for people to donate at www.justgiving.com/northsouthcycle.