Tuesday 24 November 2015

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  Twenty employees of Jones Engineering have completed a gruelling three-day cycling challenge from one end of the country to the other, raising more than  €60,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation to bring fun,  joy and respite care to children and families facing life challenging medical conditions. Undertaking the challenging Mizen Head to Malin Head cycle, the group of amateur cyclists completed the 600km journey averaging a distance of 200km each day. Each participant was tasked with raising sponsorship through personal and business contacts, and a number of Jones Engineering suppliers contributed generously to the effort. The cyclists raised an initial sum of €30,000 which was then matched by the Jones Engineering Group, to make the substantial contribution of €60,000 to the cyclists’ nominated charity, the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Speaking about the impact of such a donation Susan O’Dwyer at Make-a-Wish explained: “We have one simple aim – to grant wishes to children living with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich their lives with hope, strength and joy. We believe a wish can have a lasting impact on a child's life, creating moments of joy and memories that last a lifetime. “Since our inception in 1992 we have granted over 1,700 wishes in Ireland and this substantial donation will allow us to spread even more magic and continue to provide respite for children and their families, from their normal routines of hospitals, doctors and treatment.” Barry Steele, business development manager, Jones Engineering Group, was one of the participating cyclists and said: “The experience levels of the team varied from accomplished cyclists to relative novices, so from the outset we had an explicit understanding that we would stick together and work as a team. This stood us in good stead as we encountered injuries and mechanical difficulties along the way, but thankfully we crossed the finish line as one team unit. “Undertaking the challenge on behalf of an organisation such as the Make-A-Wish was hugely motivating and this helped our wheels to keep turning towards the end of the challenge. In addition to the generosity of our supplier partners, we also received wonderful support from off duty members of the HSE paramedic team and gardaí who donated their personal time and expertise to our efforts.” Founded in 1890, Jones Engineering is a leading engineering contractor operating throughout Ireland, the UK, Europe and the Middle East. During the initial planning stage, a committee was established to devise the safest and most effective approach to the cycle, which included a five-month training schedule, detailed nutritional regime, route maps, group charter, safety plan, accommodation and logistics schedule.