Hendy IVECO is donating £5,000 to Challenge Adventure Charities (CAC), the charitable arm of Elliotts Builders Merchants, to support the Beaune Challenge, a 534-mile cycle expedition that will raise vital funds for a range of national and local charities.

Every penny of sponsorship money raised by CAC participants is donated to good causes, with 50% of the total being split between the major beneficiaries – Cancer Research UK and British Heart Foundation – and the remaining 50% raised by each team donated to their own nominated charity.

CAC has raised over £4.6m since it began organising charity cycling events in 1996. Each September, it organises a charity cycle ride, usually in France, where teams of four ride in relay over three days.

Day one of the 2025 Challenge begins in Caen and takes in 185 miles of undulating Normandy countryside before descending into the Loire Valley to Orléans. Day two will see the riders travel south into the Auvergne, covering 189 miles to reach Vichy. The final day is a 160-mile stretch through the Beaujolais hills and into the vineyards of Burgundy to Beaune.

A customer of Hendy IVECO, Elliotts Builders Merchants will have three teams departing from Portsmouth, with the aim of raising £20,000 for its charity of the year, Home Start Hampshire.

Last year, despite heavy rain and wind, Elliotts set a CAC team record, raising over £22,000 for Home-Start Hampshire, smashing its fundraising target of £15,000.

Paul Gilbert, General Manager of Hendy IVECO, said:

“A key part of our business involves supporting local communities, and we’re proud to support Challenge Adventure Charities, a family business just like us, with its upcoming challenge. We know this event raises much-needed funds for local charities, and we wish all the riders good luck and good weather!”

Stuart Elliott, Trustee of Challenge Adventure Charities, commented:

“The support of Hendy IVECO makes it possible for us to complete another CAC bike ride, giving a welcome boost to our fundraising efforts. We hope Hendy IVECO’s contribution will inspire more riders to get involved, meet like-minded people and raise more funds for charities across the south coast and wider afield."

“We look forward to smashing our overall target of £100,000 and raising awareness for Cancer Research UK and The British Heart Foundation, which do such great work in our community to help those struggling with life-changing diseases.”