From the Thames to the Seine: developer’s bike riders prepare for a long journey

The group of 23 Barratt Homes Manchester employees hope to raise over £50,000 to support the men’s mental health charity and are joined by riders from Urban Regen, Wardhadaway and Designer Contracts.

Andy’s Man Club is a suicide prevention charity whose goal is to remove the stigma from men’s mental health and provide peer-to-peer support groups across the UK. The charity has been named Barratt Homes Manchester’s charity of the year for the past 2 years.

Mike Clearly, Finance Director of Barratt Manchester, will be participating in the event, and when asked about the charity, he said: “It’s a fantastic charity – as a middle-aged man I am conscious that I am in the age and gender group which sadly account for the highest proportion of suicide deaths. Anything any of us can do to support this charity is extremely worthwhile.”

The group estimates that the entire journey will take three days to complete, and they have all been hard at work training for this monumental journey.

When discussing his training routine, Eion Reynolds, Senior Site Manager at Barratt Homes Manchester, said, “I train as and when I can, mostly evenings and weekends when I can find the time. Again, due to time constraints, I cannot follow a set training plan, I am just trying to spend as much time on the bike as I can.

“During the week, I might do one or two 10-mile rides, and on the weekends I try and do at least one longer ride of anywhere between 20 and 40 miles.”

The group is planning to complete the journey between the 19th and 22nd of September where the total amount raised will then be confirmed and gifted to the charity.

Steve Garth, Technical Manager of Barratt Manchester, said, “I’m glad to be riding for the Andy’s Man Club charity for the work they do in suicide prevention. I’ve known several people who have felt desperate enough to attempt suicide.

Having someone to talk to could have made all the difference and shown that suicide wasn’t the only option. Please donate and help Andy’s Man Club continue their lifesaving work. See you on the road to Paris.”

Anyone interested in supporting this charity can find more information on its website, Andy’s Man Club. To follow the group as they train for this epic adventure, you can find them here.

To find out more about Barratt Homes developments visit their website at Barratt Homes in Greater Manchester.