Inzpire cyclists battle thunderstorms to ride for RAFA
24 Jun 24
Inzpire CultureWellbeing
Inzpire was once again a proud sponsor of the Royal Air Force Association ‘RAF Rides’ cycling events in 2024, with a team of Inzpire riders taking part in one of this year’s rides on Saturday 15th June.
Having been a sponsor of these fantastic events since their inception in 2018, we were thrilled to have a team of eleven riders complete the event this year. Two of our riders rode solo 50-mile routes from home, with the remaining nine riding the main 50-mile route around Rutland.
Incredibly, our People Director, Rich Havercroft, completed the 100-mile circuits on all three RAF Rides events at RAF Marham, RAF Brize Norton, and the main event alongside Inzpire colleagues at Kendrew Barracks, formerly RAF Cottesmore. Rich was one of only two riders who completed all three 100-mile routes successfully – an amazing achievement!
Rich said: "RAFA have always delivered fantastic ride events, and I'm delighted to have been able to do my bit this year by riding in all of the weekends to help support the amazing work that RAFA deliver to the RAF community.
“The team finished all together in the middle of an epic thunderstorm with lightning, driving hail and flash flooding, which left everyone absolutely drenched! It did, however, add to the camaraderie. It was a great day had by all.”
Dave Colman, Compliance and Assurance Specialist, also took part in the ride. He said:
"After a colleague emailed calling all cyclists for an exciting opportunity, it got me thinking! This could be a chance to push myself, whilst raising money to support RAFA – a fantastic charity - who have supported many of my colleagues over the years.
“I am a casual rider who rides 15-20 miles on my bike as a form of exercise (I’m not a fan of running!). I was a little concerned how I would fare on the ride as I hadn’t ridden 50 miles before or been part of a team ride, but I didn’t need to worry. My fellow Inzpire team members were great in sharing their top riding tips and teaching me how to ride as part of a peloton.
“In the last 10 mins the weather completely turned, and it started to rain - which quickly evolved into a thunderstorm of biblical proportions! With added hail, it wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience, but we were so close to the finish that it didn’t dampen our spirits.
“The RAFA team stayed out for the whole event, despite awful weather conditions - clapping and cheering for us in for the last mile, which made a massive difference. It was a brilliant day, and I’d definitely love to do it again to challenge myself while supporting such a great cause.”
A very special thanks also goes out to Dan Simmons, our Director of Collective Training and Services, for his fantastic organisation. Well done everyone!
Latest News
We’re ranked #4 in the 2024 UK Top 50 Employers of Veterans!
01.07.24
News
We’re delighted to announce that Inzpire has been awarded fourth best employer of veterans across the whole of the UK.
Need Help?
Our team are here to help. If you have any questions, no matter how big or small, please get in touch.
+44 (0)1522 688231
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)