Tour de QBE launches from Glasgow in bid to raise £50,000 for breast cancer charity

The relay began in Glasgow’s George Square and will visit every QBE office before arriving at its European headquarters in London in just over 2 weeks’ time on 21 September where cyclists will be met by colleagues who will have cycled from QBE’s office in Brussels.

The aim is for the sponsored relay to cover 1,500 miles and raise £25,000 which will be matched by a further £25,000 donation from QBE.

In this first leg of the tour, the cyclists will make the 230 mile journey to the Leeds office, passing through Gretna Green and enjoying the scenery through the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales.

More than 75 QBE employees will take part in the relay and for those that can’t manage the gruelling road tour, static bikes will be in each QBE office along the route so that all staff have a chance to take part in the fund-raising.

Richard Pryce, Chief Executive Officer of QBE Business Insurance said: "We have a fantastic charity spirit at QBE and when we commit to something like this we really do our utmost to make the biggest impact. Breast Cancer Care and the work they do really resonates with QBE employees and that is why my colleagues and I are going the extra mile on our bikes."

QBE offices will also be competing against each other on the static bikes with prizes for the fastest man and woman, the overall male and female champion and for the office which has cycled the most miles ‘per head’ of staff in the office.

Earlier this year QBE employees voted to adopt Breast Cancer Care as the company’s charity partner for the next two years by the end of which QBE is aiming to have raised an incredible £200,000.

The partnership is a key pillar of the work carried out by QBE’s charitable arm The QBE Foundation, which supports charities that help people overcome disadvantage, strengthen their abilities, and live more independently, successfully and productively.

Money raised through QBE’s fundraising will enable Breast Cancer Care to provide specialist nurses, local services and an emotional support network to help thousands of women and men find a way to live with, through and beyond breast cancer.

Samia al Qadhi, Chief Executive of Breast Cancer Care, said: “It is fantastic to see QBE employees are literally going the extra mile for people affected by breast cancer. We would like to thank everyone who is jumping on a bike, both indoors and out on the road. £50,000 is a huge amount of money and every penny raised will help Breast Cancer Care to continue to provide a lifeline of care and support for anyone affected by breast cancer.”

Staff at QBE’s Glasgow office start the relay from the City’s iconic George Square on 12 September and it then moves to Leeds (departing 15 September), Manchester and Stafford (16 Sep), Birmingham (17), Bristol (19), Chelmsford (21) arriving in London on Wednesday (21).

For further information and images please contact:
Sandra Villanueva Corporate Communications, QBE, 020 7105 5284
Sandra.villanueva@uk.qbe.com

Sara Williams, Jefferson Communications, 020 7256 8912
sara.williams@jeffersoncommunications.co.uk

About Breast Cancer Care

When you have breast cancer, everything changes. Time becomes measured in appointments. The next scan. The next results. The next challenge.

At Breast Cancer Care, we understand the emotions, challenges and decisions you face every day. So, from the day you notice something’s not right to the day you begin to move forward, we’ll be here to help you through.

Whether you want to speak to our nurses, download our specialist information or connect with volunteers who have faced what you are facing now, we can help you feel more in control.

For care, support and information from day one, call our nurses free on 0808 800 6000 or visit the Breast Cancer Care website.

About QBE

QBE Insurance Group is one of the world's leading international insurers and reinsurers, headquartered in Sydney, Australia. We operate in 37 countries with a presence in all key insurance markets. In Europe, QBE partners with businesses, from sole traders to SMEs and large corporates to help them prepare for and mitigate against risk. We have very close ties to the charity and not-for-profit sector providing specialist coverage for UK charities working home and abroad.

About the QBE Foundation

The QBE Foundation is a global initiative to support charities that help people overcome disadvantage, strengthen their abilities, and live more independently, successfully and productively. The European arm of the Foundation offers employee matched funding, matched payroll giving, employee volunteering opportunities and discretionary grants to charities that align with the Foundation’s philosophy. QBE employees have the opportunity to nominate and vote for a charity partner (charity partnerships previously ran for one calendar year, however from 2016 the Foundation will offer two year partnerships).