Leyland charity event raises over £5,000 ahead of launch this weekend

Sponsors of the upcoming Factory to Festival (FTF) Miles Better Together initiative, launched to replace this year’s Factory to Festival fundraiser, have already raised £5,900 for local charities.

Earlier this year, Leyland Trucks opted to cancel its annual Helping Hand event for the first time, because of COVID-19.

It has since launched FTF Miles Better Together, a fortnight-long, safe and socially-distanced fundraising event which is being sponsored by Lancashire organisations including Made Profiles Ltd, Schneider Electric, Pailton Engineering and Essential Industrial Services.

Brigade Electronics, the Leyland Rotary Club, Atlas Copco Tools, South Ribble Borough Council and KP Industries have also signed up to sponsor the event, contributing to the fundraising pot which has already reached £8,000.

The week-long event, which begins tomorrow (25 July), will see the Leyland Trucks’ team, their families and friends grab their bikes, running shoes or walking boots to collectively cover as many miles as physically possible to contribute to a target of 2,800 miles.

Leyland Trucks’ Factory to Festival event last year saw more than 110 cyclists cover 8,000 miles to raise more than £16,000.

This year’s unique set up features a range of different challenges that have accumulated more than 100 confirmed participants, including a running event held by Revolution Running Club, a community cycle ride organised by South Ribble Borough Council, a 100-mile-in-a-day contest and an online, 200-mile club for any willing participants to join on Strava.

Find events in your local area below

Stuart Derbyshire, Leyland Trucks’ prototype manager and Helping Hand committee member, said: “The true spirit of Leyland is captured each year with the annual festival and our fundraiser.

“Though these two events have been cancelled, we’ve been inundated with generosity from local organisations wanting to still play their part to support local charities, and families who are eager to get involved with our socially distanced challenges.

“Our social value agenda never pauses and we are pleased that this new calendar of events and method of raising money has been so well received in the community.”

Donations from the event will be provided to St Catherine’s Hospice, The Ambulance Service Charity and other NHS front line charities.

Are you taking part in the Factory to Festivals event? Tell us more in the comments below.