Tony set the pace in 400 mile 3 day challenge

Tony Wilcox, Managing Director of Personal Banking, Danske Bank, undertook a mammoth charity cycle challenge to raise funds for charity partner Cancer Focus Northern Ireland.

Tony cycled a staggering 400 miles in only three days, passing through numerous branches throughout the whole of Ireland, finishing outside the bank’s head office in Donegal Square West on Friday 3 May.

Alan Neill, Senior Branch Manager, Danske Bank, Donegall Square West explained, “We held a fundraising event in the branch on the Friday before the London marathon to help build momentum for our colleague Ivan McMinn who successfully completed the marathon and Tony who embarked on his mammoth cycle challenge the following week. Both senior managers were fundraising for our charity partner Cancer Focus Northern Ireland. Everyone got involved either by baking in advance, wearing t-shirts on the day or decorating the branch with Cancer Focus posters and balloons. Our customers were delighted to support the fundraising as we collected £364.52 in total. I would just like to thank all my customers and colleagues for their generosity."

"On Friday we welcomed Tony through the door of Donegall Square West just in time before we closed the shutter. He seemed quite pleased to be able to finally get off his bike. After an amazing 400 miles in just 3 days I think we all were amazed that he was in such good shape and spirits. "

The money raised from this cycling challenge will be invested in sustaining and developing the Cancer Focus Family Support Service - a free service which provides a vital lifeline to children and young people when a parent or grandparent has cancer.  

Joyce Savage, Head of Appeals and Marketing, Cancer Focus, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Danske Bank staff came up with more fantastic fundraising initiatives.

“Thanks to the continuing support from Danske Bank we’ve been able to extend our Family Support Service. With 70,000 local families affected by cancer, we aim to ensure that our Family Support Service is widely accessible throughoutNorthern Ireland.”

The Family Support Service provides practical and emotional support to the entire family unit, which can involve individual or group support; home, hospital or hospice visits as well as telephone and email support. The service also offers parental and pre-bereavement support, family support evenings and residential breaks for children to unwind and have fun with their peers who are in a similar situation. 

If you would like more information on the Family Support Service please call Cancer Focus on 028 9066 3281 email [email protected] or click on www.cancerfocusni.org   

To help Tony raise funds for Cancer Focus please visit his JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/TWilcox