The director of ServiceMaster Clean Bournemouth completed the Macmillan Dorset Bike Ride to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Michelle Walker of ServiceMaster Clean Bournemouth and her husband Gavin have been training to take part in the Macmillan Dorset Charity Bike Ride, which takes place annually on the first Sunday in July.

The Macmillan Dorset Bike Ride was founded in 1989 by Peter Smith-Nicholls, who wanted to find an ongoing way to continue his fundraising efforts for Macmillan, which began with his cycle ride from John O’Groats to Land’s End in 1988. Since then, the bike ride has taken place on the first Sunday and is organised by a community of volunteers from the Macmillan Dorset Bike Ride Fundraising Group. This year, the group was expected to raise over £35’000 from around 325 riders, including Michelle and Gavin.

The money raised by the ride is vital, as it ensures that Macmillan services, which provide essential care to cancer patients in the area can continue to run. Fundraisers like this are the lifeblood of organisations like Macmillan, who without them, wouldn’t be able to afford to keep operating.

“Macmillan services are urgently needed now more than ever but they simply can’t continue them without your help. Please donate today to help make sure Macmillan can keep delivering this critical support. Macmillan nurses, doctors and other health professionals up and down the country are there to continue to support people living with and beyond cancer,” says the Fundraising Group.

On their JustGiving page, Michelle has extended her thanks to all those supporting the ride:

“Macmillan gives people with cancer everything they’ve got,” she says.

“I personally have 4 immediate family members that have been struck with this awful disease and recently a close family friend, so I am sure as your reading this, you can perhaps relate to my experience with people close to you,’ she adds.

“I can’t save the world through this bike ride alone, but I can try and raise an amount of money that may just may, contribute towards the research to cure people. In memory of Mum and Dad… For all others close by or in my memory, you are not forgotten.”

Each participant rode a distance of either 38, 48, 63, or 100 miles through the Dorset countryside. Michelle and Gavin participated in the 48-mile ride, raising £345 for Macmillan, and smashing their £200 target. Posting on her JustGiving page after the ride, Michelle said, “Thank you [to] everyone who donated to such a worthy cause. We completed the ride in 4 hrs 42. Loved every minute… well almost. Thank you so much from [the] both of us!”

If you would like to get in touch with Michelle and the rest of the ServiceMaster Clean Bournemouth team, don’t hesitate to call 01202 895551 to book a professional carpet and upholstery cleaning service in Bournemouth and the surrounding areas. Or if you are interested in starting your very own ServiceMaster Clean business, give the ServiceMaster franchise sales team a call on 0116 275 9005 to find out about available territories near you.