The Corixa team have really demonstrated the power of PR this week when one of our clients, Greenhous – Shropshire and Staffordshire’s largest motoring network- asked us to provide PR support to publicise a gruelling 90-mile sponsored bike ride from Telford to Porthmadog to help raise money for the Layla Jane Remembrance Trust.
The Layla Jane Pitt Remembrance Trust was founded by Greenhous employee Tristan Pitt and his wife Rachel following the tragic loss of their daughter, Layla, to a brain haemorrhage aged 11 in August 2008, and aims to offer support to other families dealing with the loss of a child. The Remembrance Trust also supports local children in performing arts – something which was a huge part of talented Layla’s life.
After months of training both as a team and individually, an intrepid group of 15 cyclists – made up of Greenhous employees, as well as friends and family of the Pitts and other members of the public – set off from Greenhous Telford in Hadley bright and early at 8am on 21st August. Pedalling their way over hills and valleys towards North Wales, it was hoped that the group would raise in excess of £2,000.
The bike ride saw the team of sponsored cyclists travel up and over the challenging Berwyn Mountains, climbing more than 800 metres above sea level, and then back down again into the coastal town of Porthmadog at around 4pm. The cyclists ended their bike ride at Haulfryn Cardigan View Holiday Park in Porthmadog where cyclists were welcomed with an evening reception.
In advance of the big day and to drum up further support for the cyclists, Corixa set up coverage in the Shropshire Star, Telford Journal, Wellington News, Daily Post, Caernafon Herald, as well as arranging a radio interview with BBC Radio Shropshire which aired before the team set off, and was repeated on the morning of 21st August across the airwaves.
As a result, local people who had heard or read about the event pulled up and pledged money at the starting line, and as the cyclists pedalled into Portmadog, crowds of people were waiting for the team to arrive and applauded them into the town.
In total over £4,000 was raised – twice what was originally hoped for.
For further information and or to make a donation to the Layla Jane Pitt Remembrance Trust, please contact Tristan Pitt on 01952 265 400 or 07815 779 203 or email tristanpitt@greenhous.co.uk
