Upper Beeding businessman raffles bespoke #NHS bike for NHS Charities Together

Tom Hunter, director of The Bike Side and chief mechanic, was given help by a number of other companies in the area to create the bespoke #NHS racing bike, worth more than £1,000, for raffle.

Tickets are £5 and so far £315 has been raised. The winner will be drawn on June 20, 2020.

The bike was donated by Tom’s neighbour in Upper Beeding, Eleanor Gloster, community and fundraising manager at Steyning Downland Scheme.

Tom said: “I was told to sell it for charity, well we went one step further. We gave it to a friend, Ben at Culver Cars, gave it a fantastic paint job and these wonderful NHS decals. We’ve had loads of parts donated as well to complete this fantastic bike.”

Eleanor said she gave her racing bike ‘as a gift of generosity’, as Tom had just set up his own business, The Bike Side at Huffwood Trading Estate in in Partridge Green.

She said: “I donated a racing bike to pass on to someone who needed one, or to sell for charity, and, Tom being Tom, he had to go one further and he has turned it into such an amazing fundraising initiative.

“It has been Tom’s lifelong dream to own his own bike shop. The cogs started turning and then, when times became difficult and uncertain due to the global pandemic, Tom saw an opportunity to help raise some funds for our wonderful NHS, with a little help from some friends.”

The bike has been completely stripped down and with the help of Madison Cycles, Hunt Wheels, Upgrade Bikes, Clif Bar, Culvar body shop, Dreamshock and Embroidery Print Sussex, it has be turned into a bespoke machine.

Eleanor said: “This bike has been completely stripped down, re-sprayed to look amazing and rebuilt with all new components, thanks to everyone’s generosity. Because, if there is one thing we know right now, everyone loves cycling and everyone loves the NHS.”

Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nhsbike for more information.

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