12 September 2019
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Three Speed: Heineken Ireland trio get into gear to raise funds for Pieta House
Three Heineken Ireland employees, Peter Furlong, Jer O’Callaghan and Kieran Brennan, have set off today on an epic two-wheeled journey that will see them cycle nearly 1,000km from HEINEKEN Ireland ’s Leitrim Street brewery in Cork to the global home of HEINEKEN in Amsterdam. The cycle is in aid of Pieta House, a charity which helps those in suicidal distress.
The trip, which will involve cycling through four countries will take the cyclists from Cork City to Amsterdam via Waterford, Rosslare, Pembroke, Bath, Reading, London, Rotterdam and The Hague. The journey is expected to take over a week, with the cyclists aiming to cycle over 100km on a number of days.
3,609-times the length of the Jack Lynch Tunnel
In preparation for the undertaking, the trio cycled for the equivalent of just over 11 continuous days and nights. Their training saw them climb the equivalent of nearly six-times Mount Everest or 710-times the height of Cork’s Elysian building. In distance, the combined total of their practice spins ran to the length of more than two-and-a-half-times the Wild Atlantic Way, or 3,609-times the length of the Jack Lynch Tunnel.
Growing With Our Communities: Almost Half a Million Euro Raised Last Year
The effort is part of Heineken Ireland’s Growing with Our Communities programme; this programme saw Heineken Ireland raise almost half a million Euro for local good causes in 2018.
Speaking at the cyclists’ send-off at the Heineken brewery on Leitrim Street today, Barbara-Anne Richardson, the Brewer’s CSR manager, said:
“The excitement is palpable as colleagues, friends and family have gathered to wave our three cyclists off on what is sure to be an epic adventure. This trip is no mean undertaking – the ambition and positive spirit it demonstrates capture perfectly what our Growing with our Communities programme is all about, capturing the essence of volunteerism and putting serious effort into supporting causes we believe in. Our 400-strong team at Heineken Ireland is really proud both of the local work we do with our immediate communities and of the international heritage of responsibility and sustainability we have through Heineken in Amsterdam. This effort literally bridges these two interconnected traditions. I wish the guys all the best with the trip and look forward to regular updates.”
Kieran Brady, Director of Funding & Advocacy, Pieta House said:
“We are extremely grateful to the three Heineken Ireland employees, Peter, Kieran and Jer for their tremendous support and endurance, it’s a gruelling physical challenge to cycle that distance and we wish them a safe trip. For Pieta House it costs approximately €1,000 to bring one person through our service. The funds received from Heineken Ireland’s ‘Growing with our Communities’ programme will go a long way to helping us provide our nationwide services which are free of charge and freely available therapeutic services to people who are in suicidal distress and those who engage in self-harm”.
Donate to the campaign here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/cork-to-amsterdam-sponsored-cycle-for-pieta-house
