23rd Jul 2018. Metro Bank - The U Foundation
A team of 20 from Metro Bank successfully completed a 330 mile bike ride to Paris to raise money for the U Foundation.
The U Foundation is a charity which aims to reach out and help others in developing countries, particularly rural African communities. Their primary aim is to assist those people in need of a helping hand to create a better life for themselves, focusing mainly on overseas education projects. Over £18,000 (and still counting) was raised by the team at Metro.
The team set off bright and early from Bexleyheath in South east London heading through the Kent countryside and onto the famous white cliffs of Dover. Importantly the team made it to the hotel in Calais just in time to see England win on penalties against Columbia but after a long day cycling and with an early start scheduled there wasn’t too much celebrating on the first night. The next few days saw the group touring through the beautiful countryside of northern France. Highlights included the Battle of Vimy Memorial, Thiepval Memorial, and the river Somme. The group laid a wreath at Thiepval to pay respects to the missing servicemen who died in the battle of the Somme. Finally having safely navigating their way around the Arc de Triomphe roundabout, the Metro team arrived at the Eiffel tower to complete the ride.
Among the 20 riders were some names our readers might recognise from the Commercial Bank at Metro. Ian Walters (MD Business & Commercial Banking), Mark Price (Chief Credit Officer), Nathan Mollett (Head of Asset Finance), Jonathan Cooley (Business Development Director Asset Finance), and Mauro Pizzol (Operational Risk Asset Finance) were part of the team that completed ride.