Assistant show plant manager for Hortus Loci and YoungHort associate director Jamie Butterworth, celebrated his 21st birthday in unusual style last week-end by leading a team of ‘Grubby Gardeners’ in a 7-seater sponsored cycle ride from London to Brighton for the Perennial charity.

The team cycled the 54 miles on a Platipus-sponsored bicycle travelling at an average speed of just over 5mph. So far the team has raised more than £1,300 for Perennial’s Go Green for HortAid 2015 campaign – the total for which stands at almost £5,000 half way through the fortnight.

After the event, which he completed the day after taking part in the Nuts Challenge mud run for Perennial, Jamie Butterworth said: “This weekend has been one of the most physically gruelling of my life – but also one of the most fun and memorable. The Nuts Challenge really tested my stamina and endurance and it was great to be doing it alongside team-mate Claire Vokins. The seven-seater cycle ride was another matter altogether though – ‘uncomfortable’ doesn’t even come close! But what a bunch of friends and colleagues to be riding with – we’re all so proud to have achieved a first for Perennial and are determined that our fundraising for Perennial will do the physical effort justice.”

Joining Jamie were: Claire Vokins (trainee garden designer who also completed the Nuts Challenge on Saturday 5 September), Andrew Wain (head gardener and seasoned ‘Grubby Gardener’), Darren Cavedaschi (MD of bike sponsors Platipus tree anchoring systems, who travelled back from Poland in order to take part), David Lewis (head gardener, garden designer and seasoned ‘Grubby Gardener’), Alec Jones (Landscape Management student at Sheffield University), and Rachel Havers (patisserie chef, food blogger and amateur gardener).

Also cycling the iconic London to Brighton route were some of the Three Peaks Extreme (3PE) team who first raised money for Perennial in 2013 when they climbed the UK’s three highest peaks and cycled between them. They raised over £26,000 for that first challenge and have set themselves a target of £2,000 this year with plans afoot for another challenge event in 2016.

Anita Bates, Director of Marketing and Development at Perennial, said;

“We are in awe of the lengths our supporters go to in order to raise money and awareness of our trade charity. Without their dedication and determination to continue challenging themselves and others, we would not be able to offer the unrivalled range of services we provide to horticulturists across the UK struggling with life’s many challenges. Our 2015 Go Green campaign was given a huge boost this weekend and we thank everyone who took part!”

Still to come during Go Green 2015:

Buckland Nurseries in Dorking, Surrey and Ansell Garden Centre in West Drayton, Middlesex, are selling Perennial wristbands during the fortnight.

Coolings Nursery in Kent will host ‘An Audience with Alan Titchmarsh’ (http://perennial.org.uk/events/an-audience-with-alan-titchmarsh/) with ticket sales and raffle benefitting Perennial.

The Hever Castle gardening team will be donning their gnome outfits again this year to raise money for Go Green

Perennial (formerly known as The Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Fund) olffers wide-ranging benevolent services regularly described by clients as a ‘lifeline’ – over 85% of clients say that Perennial’s help had a ‘huge’ or ‘quite big’ effect on their lives – but without the financial support of the UK horticulture industry, their long-term continuation is threatened.