Riders raise a record £13 million for charity in 2018

18-12-2018

Participants in this year’s Prudential RideLondon events have raised more than £13 million for charity to set a European record for a one-day cycling event, beating the previous year’s record of £12.75 million. This brings the total raised for charity to more than £66 million in the first six years of the world’s greatest festival of cycling.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’d like to pay tribute to every cyclist who helped raise this record-breaking amount of money for charity at Prudential RideLondon 2018. Their efforts will help some fantastic charities make a real difference to people’s lives.”

Denise Turner-Stewart, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Fire and Resilience, said: “I’m delighted this record-breaking sum has been raised for good causes and I’d like to thank all riders who played a part in achieving such a fantastic total. We’re now looking forward to welcoming Prudential RideLondon to Surrey again next year.”

The inaugural Prudential RideLondon in 2013 saw 16,000 riders raise more than £7 million and the next year 20,709 finishers broke the £10 million barrier. In 2015, a total of 25,564 finishers raised more than £12 million, setting a new fundraising record for a cycling event in Europe that has been broken year on year to date. In 2018, riders battled through heavy rain and strong winds but still managed to raise a quarter of a million pounds more than the £12.75 million raised in 2017.

Mike Wells, Group Chief Executive of Prudential, said: “I would like to congratulate all the riders who took part and helped make this yet another record-breaking year for fund-raising. Prudential RideLondon is the world’s greatest festival of cycling and we want to achieve even more in 2019.”

A team of more than 450 riders raised almost £300,000 for Charity of the Year Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) Children’s Charity.

Tim Johnson, Chief Executive at Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, said: “We were thrilled to be Charity of the Year for Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 in 2018. It was such an impressive sight; seeing a team of over 450 incredible riders cycle through the streets of London and Surrey to raise nearly £300,000 for GOSH Charity. This fantastic amount raised will help to fund vital accommodation for the parents and families of the most seriously ill children who come to Great Ormond Street Hospital for specialist treatment.”

Macmillan Cancer Support raised more than £500,000, making the charity the most successful fundraisers from the event for the second year running. Alzheimer's Society, British Heart Foundation and Prostate Cancer UK were among the many other charities that raised six-figure sums.

Eleanor Hoare, Challenge Events Programme Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “To have raised over £500,000 from the 2018 Prudential RideLondon is just brilliant. We know the hours of training and fundraising that go into taking part in the event and every member of Team Macmillan should be so proud of the difference they’ve made to the lives of people living with cancer in the UK. Prudential RideLondon is always a highlight of our fundraising calendar and we can’t wait for the 2019 event!”

Entry to the ballot for the 2019 Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100, which takes place on Sunday 4 August 2019, is open now. The ballot closes at 17:00 GMT on Friday 4 January 2019.

Ends

Notes for Editors:

• Prudential RideLondon is the world's greatest festival of cycling and more than 100,000 riders participated in seven separate events over the weekend of 28-29 July 2018. The 2019 event will take place over the weekend of 3-4 August.
• A total of 26,720 riders completed the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100, 46 and 19 sportives on Sunday 29 July 2018.
• Prudential RideLondon was developed by the Mayor of London, Transport for London and London & Partners in partnership with Surrey County Council. The event is managed by the London & Surrey Cycling Partnership.
• In the first six years of the event, more than £66 million has been raised for charity.

For further information, please contact:

Grace Christie | Press Officer | Prudential RideLondon

grace.christie@londonmarathonevents.co.uk | 020 7902 0200

Matt Jackson | Senior Communications Manager | Prudential RideLondon

matt.jackson@londonmarathonevents.co.uk | 020 7902 0200 | 07814 497908