Sports legends from all disciplines of cycling came together yesterday to help raise money for a great cause.
The 2014 Champions of CycleSport Dinner, supported by Broadstone and BDO, managed to raise around £200,000 for the Action Medical Research charity by bringing the great and the greater together for one night in Battersea Park, London, last night. It was the latest such dinner for the steadily growing event.
Joining event ambassador Chris Boardman were Sir Dave Brailsford CBE, Jody Cundy MBE, Stephen Roche, Dean Downing, Dani King MBE, Rob Hayles, Hannah Walker, Jon Mould, Yanto Barker, Ian Wilkinson, Dean Downing, Martyn Ashton, Roger Hammond, Tom Stewart, Matti Hemmings and Jason Queally.
During the evening, which was hosted by Sky News anchor Dermot Murnaghan, there was a dinner, videos about the work of the charity narrated by Davina McCall, and an auction to win various money-can't-buy prizes, signed goods and rides with the pros.
Sarah Stevenson, who organises the event for Action Medical Research, said: “My highlights this year included cycling legend Monty Young, (who recently turned 80) not only signing copies of The Pedal Club Golden Book but also the amazingly long list of awesome champions who attended. In year one, we had three and just four years later we are attracting 16. It shows what a reputation this event is getting.”
The event sponsors, Broadstone, BDO LLP, Quilter Cheviot, Frog Bikes and Rouleur helped support the evening, which gave members of the public the opportunity to mix with some of the sport’s greatest riders and television personalities.
Sir Dave Brailsford said: “I always love coming to the Champions of CycleSport dinner and I’m proud to support it. The CycleSport dinner is a celebration of all that’s great about cycling – in the UK as a whole and in particular the rides that Action Medical Research has put on over the past year. It’s been another really great evening."