350-mile cycling challenge for the Benevolent starts on Sunday

This Sunday (31 May) a small group of drinks trade figures areembarking on the biggest bicycle ride yet for The Wine and SpiritTrades’ Benevolent Society. Patrick Schmitt, editor of the drinks businessand seven other cyclists are attempting to cover a 350-mile trek fromCalais to Beaune in four days to raise funds for the charity.

Taking part in the challenge, organised by Mentzendorff, UK importers for Bollinger and Burgundy’s Chanson, are Andrew Hawes, Alan Montague-Dennis and Tim Veale from Mentzendorff; Chris Connolly from Connolly Wine Merchants; Jon Hall from EMC; Hannah Wiggins from Concha y Toro; Chris Mathews from Berry Bros. & Rudd and Patrick Schmitt from the drinks business.

The group will be leaving Calais, on two wheels, at 3pm on Sunday (31 May) and plan to arrive at Ecutigny in Burgundy by 4pm on Thursday, in time to toast Benevolent Day – the charity’s latest initiative on Friday 5 June.

The cyclists will stop in St Omer, Peronné, Aÿ (home of Bollinger), Bar-sur-Aube and finally Ecutigny, where Gilles de Courcel, directeur général of Chanson, will greet them.

The Wine and Spirit Trades’ Benevolent Society welcomes any support.

Please click here to sponsor Patrick.

To find out more about the work of the Benevolent, click here