Staff from Anthesis took on a challenging four-day bike tour through the mountains of the Spanish Pyrenees, raising funds for World Bicycle Relief with a tough itinerary of long hours in the saddle and demanding climbs.
About the Ride
This is the second year that Anthesis colleagues organised a bike tour for a charitable cause, so the company bike tour is becoming a new tradition. In 2018, twelve Anthesians rode from London to Amsterdam raising money for UNICEF. This year’s bike tour started on 28 September and has 15 members of the team, participating from the US, UK and Spain.
This year’s route began in the town of Girona, a town 100 km north of Barcelona. The first day’s route covered 85 km to end in the town of Manlleu; the second day the group traveled 105 km to the town of Puigcerda; day three took the group 154 km to end in San Llorenc de Morunys; and the final day saw the group travelling 138 km ending the tour in Barcelona.
“After Anthesis merged with Lavola, we felt it only right to up the challenge and try the mountains of the Pyrenees. It’s all about connecting people across the Anthesis family.”
The bike tour was conceived as a way of bringing together Anthesis colleagues outside the office to build camaraderie, raise funds for a cause aligned with the company’s mission, and share an adventure reflective of the values of the company.
Tobias Parker, director at Anthesis based in Bristol, United Kingdom, said: “It’s all about connecting people across the Anthesis family. Last year we joined colleagues from the Bristol, Oxford and Manchester offices to cycle across the lowlands of the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, meeting colleagues along the way.
“This year, after Anthesis merged with Lavola in Catalonia, we felt it only right to up the challenge and try the mountains of the Pyrenees, which is a known pilgrimage for cyclists around the world.”
Why We Rode
Ben Tuxworth, director based in Oxford, United Kingdom, explained why he was inspired to join the bike tour: “Cycling is a great way to have fun, do some good and get to know people better, and World Bicycle Relief does a fantastic job extending the many benefits of owning a bike to people in need around the world. So it’s a big win all round! “
Jessica Onyshko, principal consultant based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, elaborated on the value of participating: “When I found out I had the opportunity to join my colleagues on a cycle trip in Spain I was ecstatic. However, not being an avid cyclist, I was hesitant to commit to the trip; but many of my team members both in the US and Europe encouraged me to join and supported me in the training process.
“It was during this time I truly realised that the culture we have at Anthesis, globally, is remarkable!”
Caterina Navarro, education coordinator based in Barcelona, Spain, added: “I’m really glad to join the Anthesis Catalunya Cycle Challenge because it is an opportunity to ride a bike, which for me is one of the greatest feelings of freedom, and a special way to get to know new colleagues.”
About the Cause
This year, bike team members chose World Bicycle Relief as their cause, selected because of its mission to build mobility toward access to education, healthcare and economic opportunity through the placement of bicycles in communities most in need throughout the world.
This charity directly links it operations with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including goal two, zero hunger, outlining the mission to achieve food security and improved nutrition and to promote sustainable agriculture. Our team raised a total of £1,256.25 through individual donations, with Anthesis Group matching this donation.
