With just a few training sessions left, Team Agria is gearing up for a 500 mile, three-day intense cycle relay with the Extra Mile Challenge to raise money for three very worthwhile causes.
It’s the fourth year that Agria Pet Insurance has taken part in this gruelling event, and this year the team will be supporting Medical Detection Dogs, Service Dogs UK and Willen Hospice. But it won’t be easy. The 2016 route will push the twelve taking part to the limit as they cross from France to Germany and finally into Switzerland, whilst tackling numerous climbs of up to 4,000’ with daily elevations of around 12,000’.
Aiming to raise as much money as possible, for 2016 Agria has three teams set to embark on the challenge:
- ‘Agria Forsakens’, led by Team Captain Simon Wheeler, Agria’s Managing Director;
- The all-female team, ‘Agria’s Angels’, led by Team Captain (and 6-time Extr
a Mile Challenge veteran!) Lorraine Tannatt Nash, Agria’s Partnerships Manager; - ‘Agria Willens’, led by Team Captain John Walker-Lee, Agria’s Head of Underwriting
This is the second year Agria will cycle for Medical Detection Dogs. The charity trains bio-detection dogs to use their sense of smell to detect cancer in urine and breath samples and assistance dogs to alert individuals with severe medical conditions to an oncoming life-threatening event.
“Medical Detection Dogs is wholly reliant on donations to fund our ground-breaking work training dogs to detect disease through odour and we are delighted that Agria is continuing to support the charity with another incredible cycling challenge,” says Dr. Claire Guest, CEO of Medical Detection Dogs.
Service Dogs UK provides veterans from the Armed Forces and Emergency Services suffering with PTSD the benefit of specially trained assistance dogs. These are all rescue dogs trained at no cost to the veteran.
Joint founder of Service Dogs UK, Judith Broug, says, “To a small and new charity like ourselves what counts is the belief of fantastic individuals, like Lorraine and the rest of Team Agria, to go out there, push themselves to the limit, raise funds and awareness for Service Dogs UK. It makes all the difference; both for veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and rescue dogs.”
And last but not least, Willen Hospice provides specialist care for people whose illness no longer responds to curative treatment (also known as palliative care). Willen Hospice provides care for people over the age of 18 in Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas.
“The Extra Mile Challenge is an incredible event and we’d like to say a huge thank you and good luck to everyone in the Agria team taking part – we’re delighted they’re supporting us. Agria’s fundraising will help Willen Hospice to continue to be there to care for our patients and their loved ones,” says Laura Conway, Challenges and In-Memory Fundraiser.
Simon Wheeler, Managing Director of Agria Pet Insurance says, “Taking part in the annual Extra Mile Challenge has become something of a tradition at Agria and a fantastic way for us to help raise crucial funds for some incredible charities. It’s always a real test of everyone’s fitness and ability, but supporting these organisations makes the pain, sweat and hill climbs all worthwhile!”
Could you spare £5 for Team Agria’s sponsorship pot? They’d be so grateful if you could! See http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/Agria-2016 for more details.
You can also follow and encourage Team Agria on their adventure on social media at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AgriaPetUK
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Team-Agrias-Charity-Challenges/723203504361787
Agria Pet Insurance 2b Alton House, Office Park, Gatehouse Way, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8XU. Agria Pet Insurance Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
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