Many businesses will have a fully formed, strategic Corporate Social Responsibility Programme (CSR) with particular objectives they wish to fulfil. At the forefront commonly will be a focus on their environmental impact, supporting their workforce and engaging with the community. Wouldn't it be great to find an activity to hit all three in one fell swoop? Well, Above & Beyond’s Bristol to Paris Cycle Challenge is that event!

How exactly does this one fundraising event help tick these boxes I hear you ask?

The environment

With the challenge being a 470km route on a bike, training is important. It can be difficult to find time to get out on your bike when juggling professional and personal commitments, but the daily commute to work is a perfect opportunity to get some miles done. Encouraging staff to take part in the event - and therefore get cycling - will reduce car journeys to the office and offer your company the chance of promoting cycling widely among staff, even those not taking part in the challenge.

Engendering a culture of cycling will really help in lowering your company’s environmental impact.

Staff engagement and welfare

Your staff’s well-being will be effected by many factors of the ride. The mind obviously jumps to improved fitness and health. Regular exercise can promote alertness, energy and happiness all of which benefits productivity in the workplace. It can help reduce illness, therefore limiting sick days and getting active is a proven tool for improving mental health. 

Workplace teams also benefit from a shared experience. The Bristol to Paris Cycle Challenge has created friendships and bonds that extend well beyond the event. It is no easy task to cycle 470km in four days and the bond formed with teammates can forge a team ethic that will translate into a happier and more cohesive workforce.

Community engagement

Above & Beyond is the official charity for the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. With the support of the donors, fundraisers, trusts, and the business community of Bristol and beyond, we contribute vital funds to help ensure that all 974,000 people treated at Bristol city centre hospitals each year receive world class care. By taking part in the Bristol to Paris Cycle Challenge, your staff will be making a real difference to those patients, their family and friends, and your committed local NHS staff.

Each year the challenge raises over £100,000 for the hospitals which has a significant impact on the lives of so many. In previous years, the challenge has funded a 3D scanner for the Fetal Medicine Unit at St. Michael's Hospital to help doctors diagnose potentially life-threatening conditions in the womb, and the refurbishment of the Neuro-Rehabilitation Ward at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children to help children get their young lives back on track after severe injury. This is the impact you could have by taking part.

- By Edd Smith, corporate partnerships manager at Above & Beyond

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The Bristol to Paris Cycle Challenge takes place between 11-15 September 2019. Sign up today to take part in the challenge of a life time. 

You can do anything, so do something amazing!