A team of South East Coast Ambulance Service executives are saddling up for a challenging charity bike ride next month to help launch the SECAmb Charity’s Outrun an Ambulance campaign.
Interim Chief Executive Jen Allan will lead a team of cyclists on a looping route across Sussex and Surrey and take on the iconic Box Hill climb, famously featured in the London 2012 Olympic cycling route.
The 55-mile challenge, taking place on 21 June, mirrors the distance of the London to Brighton Cycle Ride. Joining Jen on the ride will be Chief Strategy Officer David Ruiz-Celeda, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer Jo Turner and Director of Resilience & Specialist Operations Lucas Hawkes-Frost.
The ride will help launch Outrun an Ambulance, a new charity challenge encouraging people to ‘outrun’ the mileage covered by a SECAmb ambulance during a 12-hour shift.
Jen said: “Our ambulance staff and volunteers repeatedly go the extra mile when caring for patients. We wanted to set ourselves a challenge that could raise funds for the charity and encourage others to achieve their own personal goals too. Can you go the extra mile by taking on the Outrun an Ambulance challenge this year?”
The challenge is designed to be flexible and accessible for all abilities. Participants can walk, run, cycle, swim, scoot, paddle or use any self-propelled method to complete the miles linked to their local SECAmb area.
Distances range from 63 miles in Chertsey to 107 miles in Ashford, with people able to complete the challenge over weeks or even months.
“We want people across the Trust and our communities to get involved so that together we beat 936 miles, the combined total covered by ambulances from 11 SECAmb sites,” said Vicky Rees, Head of Charity.
“It’s a challenge that people can take on in their own way, whether individually or as part of a team.”
Everyone who completes their challenge and raises at least £1 will receive a Certificate of Thanks, while those who raise £100 or more will also receive a medal.
To find out more, request a fundraising pack or sign up, email charity@secamb.nhs.uk or check out our campaign page here for more details.
