Staff at financial and professional services firm Smith & Williamson got on their bikes around Bristol to raise money for a charity that works to combat hunger and food waste. 

A team of 12 from the firm’s Bristol office each took on the challenge of cycling 234 miles - the equivalent of riding from Bristol to Paris – in aid of FareShare South West. 

To date, Smith & Williamson has raised more than £6,300 for the charity, which takes good quality surplus food from the food industry and delivers it to almost 11,000 frontline charities and community groups across the country.  

FareShare has a regional centre in St. Jude’s in Bristol, part of a national network of charitable food redistributors. 

The cycle challenge was originally scheduled to run from Bristol to Paris over four days in September, but it was reconfigured due to Covid-19.  

In the event some cyclists covered the distance over four days, riding in and around Bristol while others completed the event over the course of September, some using indoor training bikes. Private client tax partner Peter Ball managed to complete the entire 234 miles in just two days.   

Nigel Hardy, professional services managing partner at Smith & Williamson in Bristol, joined in for the 57-mile Great Weston Ride section, from Long Ashton to Weston-super-Mare. 

“It was obviously disappointing that we couldn’t do the Bristol to Paris ride as originally planned but when that became impossible, we were determined to continue our support of FareShare South West. We were able to adapt our event by completing the course locally,” he said. 

“I am so proud of our team for taking the time out of their busy lives to support a charity whose work is so vital at the present time. The organisation does an incredible job redistributing surplus food to some of the most vulnerable individuals and families in society.”