A team of cyclists led by the MD of Yorkshire Garden Centres raised over £4,000 for Martin House Children's Hospice when they tackled a challenging 85 km ride recently

The team of 18 led by Mark Farnsworth completed the challenging, hilly ride that took them through the scenic Yorkshire Wolds villages of Leavening, Birdsall, Kirby Grindalythe and Sledmere.

Mr. Farnsworth explained the rationale for the ride: "For the last few years, we have kicked off the fundraising for our Charity of the Year with a cycle challenge and this year we're delighted to have raised over £4,000 for the great work that Martin House does for babies, children and young people with life-shortening conditions from across West, North and East Yorkshire.

"Thank you to all our friends, family, colleagues and suppliers who have helped us to raise this much money."

Through a series of fund-raising events, collection boxes at the tills and a new ‘Pennies' initiative, the teams at Yorkshire Garden Centres' seven sites hope to raise £30,000 for the Wetherby charity throughout the year.

Chris Verney, Capital Appeal Fundraiser at Martin House, said: "We're delighted that Yorkshire Garden Centres are supporting Martin House again this year, ten years after we were their first charity of the year at Tong, and we're really looking forward to working closely with them to develop this ambitious partnership.

"Their dedication to keeping gardens and homes at the heart resonates strongly with us as we progress with The Build at Martin House, reshaping our gardens and creating the hospice our families deserve.  Their support will mean that children and families across the region will continue to receive the vital, specialist care they need, when they need it most."