Staff at Cirencester based Steppes Travel embarked on an ambitious 24-hour cycling relay.

The objective of the exercise was to raise money for their own COVID-19 Heroes & Heroines Holiday Fund, with the ultimate goal of gifting the holiday of a lifetime to someone putting their lives at risk amid the coronavirus crisis.

And their efforts have not gone unnoticed - with Punchline selecting the company as its latest Business and Community Champion.

Steppes' non-stop cycle challenge was a virtual relay with the baton passing from one socially-distanced team member to the next from midday to midday.

The target was to cover 500 kilometres inside a 24-hour period, requiring the team to average 21 kilometres per hour over the entire challenge.

With cycling experience among the team ranging from the novice to the fanatical, the relay saw folding bikes, carbon-fibre racing machines and indoor trainers working together to reach 500 kilometres.

Managing director Justin Wateridge said: "We are pleased to announce that within an hour of the challenge we had already reached the initial fundraising target of £1,000.

"By the end of the challenge, our team of 21 cyclists had cycled more than 580 km and raised £2,678 for the Heroes & Heroines Fund - with donations still coming in and currently totalling more than £3,000.

"Heroes truly live among us. Those that care for our health, keep us safe, deliver us our provisions and keep this nation going.

"We hope we can continue adding to our Heroes & Heroines Fund to give the holiday of a lifetime to a heroic frontline worker."

Steppes Travel are still asking for nominations as to who you think deserves a holiday - to be taken when the time is right. Click here for more information. 

Send Punchline your inspiring stories - you don't have to write them, just tell us about them and we will do the rest. Email beth@moosemarketingandpr.co.uk 

Punchline's Business and Community Champion Awards are sponsored by:

GFirstLEP

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info@gfirstlep.com 

The Growth Hub Gloucestershire

https://www.thegrowthhub.biz 

talktous@thegrowthhub.biz 

Gloucestershire County Council

https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk 

customerservices@gloucestershire.gov.uk 

Gloucestershire OPCC

https://www.gloucestershire-pcc.gov.uk 

01452 754348