Twelve Northern Ireland business leaders will join Ireland and Ulster rugby legend Rory Best for a nine-day, 235-mile walking challenge around the island of Ireland to raise funds for children, young people and families affected by cancer.
The group of senior business figures will take part in Rory’s Miles 2 Mayo: The Trilogy, the final instalment of a series of physical fundraising challenges led by Best for Cancer Fund for Children.
The challenge begins this Saturday, September 12, in Londonderry, with the 21 business leaders joining Best for the first stage of a journey which will take them through Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland before finishing in Cong, Co Mayo, on Sunday, September 20.
The Northern Ireland business leaders taking part are Karl Crockard, managing director at CASC; Jonathon Doherty, CEO of Rutledge Group; Jason Holmes, director at Luman Financial Planning Ltd; Roger Johnston, CEO of Axial 3D; Ellen Kelly, director at Kelly’s Supermarkets Ltd; Pearce Kelly, director at Kelly’s Supermarkets Ltd; Marie McGrady, managing director at Belfast Skin Clinic; Graeme Neill, managing director at CRN Financial Services Ltd; Lorraine Nelson, tax partner at BDO; Samuel Robinson, managing director at Regency Carpet Manufacturing; Martin Shields, medical director at Kingsbridge Private Hospital Group; and Suzanne Wylie, CEO of NI Chamber of Commerce.
The challenge will begin with a special breakfast event at the Ebrington Hotel in Londonderry, sponsored by Alchemy Technology Services.
Following the breakfast, the participants will begin the first day's route from Londonderry to Limavady.
Over the subsequent eight days, the walkers will travel from Bangor to Belfast before continuing south through Dublin, Kildare, Carlow, Cork, Limerick and Galway.
The challenge will conclude in Cong, Co Mayo, where the participants will reach the site of Cancer Fund for Children’s second Daisy Lodge therapeutic short-break centre. The new Daisy Lodge in Cong is currently nearing completion and is due to open in 2027.
Cancer Fund for Children is an all-island charity providing emotional, social and therapeutic support to children, young people and families impacted by cancer.
The fundraising target for Rory’s Miles 2 Mayo: The Trilogy is around £1.2 million.
The money raised will go towards equipping Daisy Lodge in Cong and helping get the centre ready to open its doors next year, allowing Cancer Fund for Children to support more children and families affected by a cancer diagnosis.
The latest challenge will bring Best full circle after his previous Miles to Mayo fundraising efforts.
Speaking ahead of his biggest challenge yet, Rory Best, said: “It’s been an honour to lead this series of physical fundraising challenges in support of the amazing work of Cancer Fund for Children and I’m excited to be walking through Derry-Londonderry during the third and final challenge, with an incredible team of business leaders and surrounded by a passionate crew of supporters.
“Though it will be a strenuous undertaking, the motivation of supporting a charity doing such vital work for families and children facing the heartbreaking realities of a cancer diagnosis will drive us towards the finish line in Cong, Co Mayo. It will be emotional and very rewarding to see how work is nearing completion on the second Daisy Lodge to help more children and families who are going through very tough times.”
CEO of Cancer Fund for Children Phil Alexander added: “Across the last five years, Rory Best has created a legacy of fundraising which has completely blown us away. From taking on his own Miles to Mayo challenges, to inspiring countless other campaigns, including the 26 Mountains to Mayo challenge last year which raised £1.5m in aid of our services. The funds raised through these efforts have allowed us to provide vital support to children, young people and families impacted by cancer across the island of Ireland, in hospital, at home and at our therapeutic short break centre Daisy Lodge.
“As Cancer Fund for Children continues to expand, our investment in Daisy Lodge Cong demonstrates the growing need for our services as well as our commitment to supporting children and families affected by the extremely harsh realities of a cancer diagnosis across the island.”
4. Rory’s Miles 2 Mayo: The Trilogy
Samuel Robinson, Regency Carpet Manufacturing Photo: u