Member Article

“Tour de Baker Tilly” – The Chartered Accountants Pedal Power Fundraiser

Staff at the national firm of chartered accountants, Baker Tilly, are already aware of the health benefits afforded by the increasing popularity of cycling but now they have the opportunity to indulge their passion whilst also raising money for good causes.

The firm of chartered accountants, which is headquartered in London, always had a presence in the provinces but this was expanded considerably with last year’s merger with the RSM Tenon group. Riders were able to meet colleagues from across the combined firm’s extensive network of over 50 offices that stretches from Edinburgh down to Reading and over to Tunbridge Wells.

The occasion was a major charity peloton neatly timed to coincide with Le Grand Depart, the start of the Tour de France in Leeds on July 7th. The plan is to cover the whole distance from the firm of chartered accountants’ London HQ to its office in Leeds but in a circuitous route that takes in stops at over 20 other offices including Bromley, Gatwick, Southampton, Bristol, Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham, Liverpool and Manchester.

The entire route covered a grueling 660 miles, which is a tall order even for the fittest of Baker Tilly’s redoubtable team. The idea was therefore to split the journey into 3 separate legs and for staff members and a number of clients to cover as many of the 11 component stages as they can. As the firm also has a strong presence in Scotland, there was an additional leg from Glasgow to Grangemouth and on to Edinburgh.

The event was been organised by a Baker Tilly partner, Martin Rossiter, and he hopes that, in addition to raising a substantial sum for two selected charities, the mini curtain raiser for the Tour de France itself provided a wonderful opportunity for staff and clients of the enlarged firm’s various offices to meet and network with each other following last year’s substantial merger. Martin exudes confidence in his volunteer army of aspiring Bradley Wigginses when commenting that “In the year that the Tour de France comes to Yorkshire it also seemed appropriate for us to finish at our office in Leeds to show the pro riders how it should be done!”

The “Tour de Baker Tilly” started in London on June 23rd and finished Friday the 4th of July. The target was to raise over £10,000 for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme for disadvantaged youngsters and the Anthony Nolan Trust, which helps to finance vital bone marrow transplants. The firm is still looking for additional sponsors to support both of these extremely worthy causes and members of the public can help by donating here.

The cycle training and touring specialists, Njinga Cycling, kindly providing mechanical and other support for all the volunteer riders taking part.

To find out more about this charity cycle race and make a donation please click here http://www.bakertilly.co.uk/tour-de-baker-tilly/Pages/Tour-de-Baker-Tilly.aspx

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Organic .