This weekend, Chivas Brothers held its very first charity cycle ride to raise money for MND Scotland – the leading charity in Scotland providing care and support to people affected by Motor Neurone Disease – as part of our fundraising events to support our Charity of the Year.
Coinciding with Global MND Awareness Day (21st June) and MND Scotland’s 40th anniversary, a team of Chivas Brothers employees biked from the company’s state-of-the-art bottling facility in Dumbarton into the Scotch heartland of Speyside, home to The Glenlivet, Strathisla and Aberlour distilleries.
Raising £32,132.35, contributing to exceeding Chivas Brothers’ £100,000 fundraising milestone for MND Scotland, the 20 -strong group traversed some of the most difficult terrain across the country, covering 200 miles and over 10,000 feet of elevation in just two and a half days.
MND Scotland support families affected by MND in the country to improve their quality of life and funds pioneering research to ultimately find a cure for the disease.
Morag McGown, MND Scotland’s Corporate Partnerships Manager, commented:
“This was a truly incredible feat by the Chivas team, and we have been blown away by everyone’s commitment and generosity.
From the 20 cyclists who battled through three days of gruelling routes across the country, to everyone who helped organise the event, and of course the friends, family and colleagues who donated to help our fight against MND. This was a fantastic way to mark MND Scotland’s 40th anniversary and Global MND Awareness Day.
“Without supporters like Chivas Brothers, we simply wouldn’t be able to continue helping families in Scotland when they need us most. All funds raised will make sure no one has to go through the devastation of MND alone, and power cutting-edge research to find a cure. We cannot thank you all enough.”
Liam Donegan, Manufacturing Director at Chivas Brothers, and one of the participants in the cycle, commented:
“It’s brilliant to reflect on the amount raised and the hard work of the team after that mammoth ride. Making a difference to our community is incredibly important to us at Chivas Brothers, so I couldn’t be prouder that with this cycle, we could contribute to the advancements of MND Scotland’s brilliant work. We dug deep and pushed through some tough climbs, but I speak for us all in saying we would do it again in support of the incredible MND team…just maybe in a day or two!”
MND Scotland was selected by Chivas Brothers employees as their Charity of the Year in January 2019. At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the company donated an additional £26,000 to reach their £50,000 fundraising milestone early. Since then, Chivas Brothers has raised over £100,000 for the charity through various ongoing internal programmes and initiatives and extended the partnership through 2021.
