Charity bike ride raises bumper funds for injured veterans

Kevin Toft and Gavin Perry, members at Catalent Swindon UK SERVE ERG (veterans, active members, families and supporters) and also active Royal British Legion(RBL) members at Seend, organised a charity bike ride on June 26 which raised over £3000 for the RBL Battle Back Rehab Centre at Lilleshall. The centre opened in 2012 and is the first port of call for wounded, injured and sick service men and women as they start their Individual Recovery Programme. To date over 7000 wounded, injured or sick serving and ex-serving personnel have attended the Battle Back Centre as part of their individual recovery programmes. The centre is also the training ground for the “Invictus Games” taking place in September in Düsseldorf, Germany.

The bike ride team included both SERVE and non-SERVE members –  SERVE Members (Kev Toft, Gav Perry, Josh Sherry, Anthony Quirke).  Non-Serve – (Paul ‘Girlie’ Kidd, Michal Jamroz, Bart Bednarek, Krysztof Wisniewski. Starting at The Crown in Bishops Cannings they cycled to Bath along the Kennet and Avon Canal and back – a total of 55 miles, including the tough climb up the 29 locks of Caen Hill in Devizes. On completion of the ride the team were greeted with Gourmet burgers, fries and coleslaw plus a cold refreshing pint or 2 at the Crown Inn.

Gavin Perry said, “The Catalent Swindon UK SERVE ERG have so far raised just over £3000 for the Battle Back Centre, made up from sponsorship on our Just Giving page, a raffle for King Charles III Coronation where the company donated a Fortnum and Masons Highgrove Hamper as first prize along with cupcakes for all staff. All donations and sponsorship from Catalent employees has been matched by the company.

We will be arranging a visit to the Battle Back Centre in August where we will present them with a cheque and then particiate in games for example wheelchair rugby / group sessions with the Battle Back team and those veterans at the Battle Back on their recovery programmes or in training for the Invictus Games.”