Heinz pair to take beans on charity trek setting off from Wigan

Two super-fit Heinz workers are to take on an epic cycle challenge - and they will be carrying a can of Beanz.

Marcus McQuillan and his friend Harry Calvin, who work for the company, will set off from the Heinz NDC(national distribution centre) in Wigan and cycle overnight.

Biking 415 miles to their office in the Shard, London, will be challenging enough, but it’s made even harder as they will carry a 415g can of beans.

For the first few miles, a few cyclists will be joining them on the ride, which will be for charities including Magic Breakfast.

Marcus said: “I frequently don the lycra as a keen cyclist and wondered if there was a way I could tie my passion for road cycling with fund-raising for the incredible charities we are supporting this year: Magic Breakfast, The Soup Kitchen and Fareshare.

“I’ve decided to ride from our Heinz Factory in Wigan all the way to our Head Office at the Shard in London.

“A standard tin of Heinz Beanz is 415g, and so by taking a slight detour through the Peak District we’ve set the total distance for the ride at 415km (260 miles), with around 3,600m of climbing hills.”

Beginning at 6pm on Thursday at the Kitt Green factory, Marcus and Harry will be riding through the night and into the following day aiming to finish the 415km ride 20 hours later at the Shard on Friday.

With the help of their small support crew, they hope to ride non-stop other than for the occasional brief food break.

And Marcus said the main reason the pair are doing the challenge is to raise funds and awareness for charity.

He said: “Friends and colleagues of mine will know that I have spent the last year on the bike.

“This lockdown obsession combined with an ambition to support those in need at this crucial time encouraged me to push my boundaries and raise much-needed money for some amazing charities.

“After a few hours of planning we now have what I hope will be one of the most successful Kraft Heinz ESG charity days and even those dark cold hours crawling up the Peak District hills will be worth it.”

Harry added: “When Marcus told me about the ride and the charities he wanted to fund-raise for, I immediately agreed to join him.

“I’ve never ridden this sort of distance before, let alone in the dark.

“So I am expecting this to be a massive challenge.

“Hopefully the sense of achievement and a cold beer at the end will help us forget the low moments. It’s all for great causes at least!”

The pair will be given a send-off from 5pm by staff at Heinz NDC, (Wincanton) Fourmarts Road, Martland Park.

So far the duo have raised £1,408 and to donate money, visit their Virgin Money Giving page ‘Ride’N’Heinz - Wigan to London 415km Cycle.

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 for your first month. Try us today by clicking here and viewing our offers...