Friends of Ride for Life

 

So many individuals -- friends, total strangers, family, work colleagues -- have already so generously supported Ride for Life that it's not possible to thank you all here, though we do hope to see many of you in Venice on or about June 28th and furthermore will thank at least some of you by distributing some really great prizes when our Grand Finale Draw takes place in July on our return (God willing that we actually make it there and back!).
However, we'd at least to take this opportunity to thank some of our major sponsors who have got behind the project and really encouraged us along our way. Please help us to thank them by using their services or products and letting them know that you, too, are a friend of Ride for Life.

Lee Mill Ivybridge Plymouth, Devon PL21 9EE tel: (01752) 892977	When, just less than a week before the Ride for Life departure, we suddenly found ourselves without a support vehicle, Nick Saunders of Plymouth Motorcaravans came to the rescue with the magnificent offer of a brand-new Peugeot Compass Drifter 360e, complete with a bicycle rack to transport our spares. This is virtually the ideal vehicle for our needs and will allow us to attempt to achieve our goal of cycling from Devon to Venice in some considerable style! As a customer of Plymouth Motorcaravans (we purchased a new VW Trident Autosleeper from Nick some years ago which served as an excellent research vehicle for 5 books) we know from experience what an excellent company it is. For a complete range of both new and used motorcaravans, superb after sales service, and a comprehensively stocked leisure shop, this is certainly the leading motorcaravan dealer in the Westcountry For further information, call Nick on (01752) 892977.
	As one of the principle themes for the Ride for Life fundraising efforts is sporting activities, we are delighted to have the generous 5-star support of Jordan Golf, the newest and hottest company in golf shaft technology, and the pioneers of the thermoplastic shaft that has been making the news for all the right reasons. Independent tests carried out at Nottingham University and Golf Laboratories Inc, San Diego, California have proved that clubs fitted with the new Jordan thermoplastic shaft enable golf balls to be hit futher and more accurately than with shafts made from any other material, including carbon-fibre and graphite. This has made even the pros sit up and take notice: says top golfer Nick Faldo in a recent interview in the Daily Mail, "You can't stop progress. Otherwise we'd all still be using finger-dialling telephones. But if this shaft does give exta length it may lead to designers putting more emphasis on touch and accuracy." For further information, call Luther Bradbury on (01827) 68383.
3-7 Station Road Knowle West Midlands B93 OHL tel: (01564) 772222	Loyds Restaurant, located in the picturesque village of Knowle about 10 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre, is generously hosting a Ride for Life Charity Gourmet Dinner on the evening of May 13th which is definitely not to be missed. This newly opened restaurant, under Executive Head Chef Richard Turner, has already created an impact on the Midlands dining scene with its creative, seasonal and modern cuisine that is at once original yet draws on a fusion of influences, from the Mediterranean to the shores of Great Britain. With its fine cuisine and notable wine list counterpointed by an original contemporary medieval Gothic design, and beautiful glassware and crockery by Villeroy and Bosch, Loyds offers a complete dining experience that is really special. Situated close to the National Exhibition Centre, the M42, M5 and M6 motorway networks, and popular towns such as Stratford-upon-Avon and Henley-on-Arden, we urge you to drop in for lunch or dinner any time of the week when you are in the area. For table reservations, telephone: (01464) 772222.
	We are delighted to have the enthusiastic backing of our Publishers, Little Brown and Websters International Publishers. Little, Brown and Co, a famous American publishing house, founded its UK subsidiary in 1988 and has since launched an impressive list of illustrated non-fiction books. We are delighted to have them as the UK publishers for our Food Lover's Companion France and Food Lover's Companion Italy. Husband-and-wife team Adrian and Susannah Websters are the driving force behind Websters International Publishers, a small but highly regarded publishing house specialising above all in best-selling wine titles, together with some food and travel titles. Oz Clarke is the leading author in a stable which includes the top names in wine and food writing, so we are proud to be part of their team. As food and wine has been the main Ride for Life fundraising theme, the beautiful books produced by Websters and Little, Brown have been a major feature at all our events.
	Full marks to the boys at Summit for getting on their bikes! Lots of people have said that they will cycle the first leg through southern England with us, but when they've seen the route, they've quickly discovered that they are otherwise occupied that day. Not Summit: Chris Bailey, Sales Director, and Paul Kelly, Service Manager, have been in training for some months now, and are, we understand, confident and raring to go. Meanwhile the company has mounted a really impressive fundraising effort of its own that is helping to swell the Ride for Life coffers. So thanks again to Summit. Summit Systems is the supplier to the plastics industry of a range of impressive products, including gravimetric blenders, hopper loaders, dryers, converyors, granulators, robots, backed up with strong service and technical expertise to meet the demands and requirements of the company it serves. For further information, contact Summit at: (01827) 63700.
400 West Knowlton Road Media PA 19603 USA tel: 610-494-5353; fax: 610-494-6194	Maguire Products, world leaders in metering and blending equipment for the plastics industry, has its base in Media, Pennsylvania, as well as a system of distributors that provide sales and technical service in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and other regions. The link with Ride for Life comes through Maguire Europe, with its distribution centre in Tamworth, Staffordshire where it maintains close links with Summit Systems. Thanks again to Steve Maguire for his generous support of Ride for Life's fundraising efforts in aid of cancer research and treatment. For further information on Maguire Europe telephone (01827) 61617.
	A big thanks to Zynet for generously sponsoring this Web site. Based in Exeter, we have found Zynet to be an excellent Internet Service Provider, with good back-up and customer support always just a phone call away. The new SouthWest Web, with its powerful regional search engine, and its index to to services, events, and news, is an important resource for the whole of the Westcountry. Check it out.
The Work Shop Employment and Executive Bureau 61 South Street Exeter EX1 1EE tel: (01392) 217599 fax: (01392) 420769	Ride for Life was launched with a flying start on January 1st, 1997 when Tony and Antonia Littlemore, Parnters of the Work Shop Employment Bureau, generously pledged £500 to get Marc and Nello on their way. The cheque was recently presented before the Mayor and Mayoress of Exeter and other distinguished guests at the Guildhall, Exeter. The Work Shop was founded in 1984 and has now become the largest independently owned agency in the South West, with six branches ranging from as far north as Chippenham down to Plymouth. The Company is a real Westcountry force, and intends to continue its growth with the opening of a new branch in the Bristol area, and has recently moved into larger refurbished premises in Barnstaple which supports its developments in the North Devon area. The Work Shop supplies both temporary and permanent employees of all categories, from secretaries to drivers, accountants to industrial operatives. The Company is committed to high levels of service to both its clients and employees and encourages growth and prosperity throughout the Westcountry communities.
	A big thanks to Joe Hayward at Cambriam Tyres for supplying us with the superb range of Continental tyres, most notably the Grand Prix 3000 and the Conti Top Touring 2000s, plus tubes, water bottles and lots of other stuff. The Continental tyres should certainly ensure that things keep on rolling smoothly.
Gidleigh Park Chagford TQ13 8HH Devon tel: (01647) 432367	Paul and Kay Henderson's fiefdom, a magnificent Edwardian mansion set on the edge of Dartmoor just an easy training cycle from Topsham, is one of the finest country house hotels Britain, with a superlative restaurant and cellar to match. Our close friend chef Michael Caines is a young, rising star, his French-inspired cuisine certainly worthy of its hard-earned Michelin rosette. Michael cooked at Nello's for our first Ride for Life fundraising event, which was a great success. Michael learned his craft under great French chefs such as Raymond Blanc, Bernard Loiseau and Joel Robuchon. He has a particular fondness for Burgundy and the time he spent there at Saulieu, so his recipe for boeuf bourguignonne which he prepared for us is definitely a stunner. Find out everything you want to know about Gidleigh Park, as well as try some more of Michael's stunning recipes at the excellent Sugarplums link to Gidleigh Park.
331 Fore St Topsham Devon tel: (01392) 877937	I have been privileged to have Nello Ghezzo not only as my cycling partner, but as a partner in all the Ride for Life fundraising activities, with Nello's Ristorante (winner of the "Best Pasta and Pizza Restaurant in the UK 1997" award sponsored by Galbani) as our headquarters. Nello, quite simply, is a great regional Italian chef. In his small but atmospheric restaurant, he prepares to order mainly northern Italian foods (risotto is the house speciality) authentically and with some considerable style. I choose the wines for Nello and I can claim quite fairly that we offer an outstanding and comprehensive range of quality wines from all over Italy -- from Piedmont and Friuli to Apulia and Sicily -- available at moderate prices. For table reservations, or to have a chat with Nello, phone him on: (01392) 977937.
The Wine Trade in Britain and Italy	As our fundraising events have centred on food and wine events -- notably our gourmet, regional and wine tasting evenings -- we've enjoyed the considerable support of our friends and supplies in the wine trade, who have most generously supplied us with some really great Italian wines. In Italy, we would especially like to single out Giampaolo Pacini of Podere Capaccia for supplying lucky guests with his magnificent Querciagrande 1992. On the same night, we were also delighted to be able to present some of the impressive wines of Cantine Lungarotti, supplied generously by Teresa Severini Lungarotti. In Britain, meanwhile, we've further enjoyed considerable support from the wine trade, most notably from Enotria/Winecellars, who supplied us with a magnificent selection of wines from the Veneto for our cena regionale, Alivini, and Oddbins.