A new networking ride in County Down aims to help the region’s top business people connect – on two wheels. The Action Traction Bike Ride, in aid of children’s charity Action Medical Research, will see senior executives from across Northern Ireland take to the saddle and ride for a reason on Sunday, 23 August.

The bespoke 60–mile route takes in the stunning scenery of County Down, passing through Temple, Saintfield, Killyleagh and Ballygowan, before returning to Malone Golf Club in Dunmurry for hot showers, massages and lunch.

The prestigious event is supported by Traction Finance, which specialises in vehicle finance and bespoke mobility solutions for business and private individuals

Carrie Benn, Action’s Community Fundraising Manager for Northern Ireland, says: “This is going to be a fantastic way to help the region’s top executives get to know each other on the road and then over lunch. And as well as offering a great networking opportunity, it’s also a chance for riders to support Action Medical Research and help save and change the lives of babies and children.

“Our supporters in Northern Ireland have already funded more than £1.5 million in grants and entrants will be helping fund medical research into conditions affecting babies and children.”

Paul McGuire, Managing Director of Traction Finance, says: “Our consultative approach ensures that we offer our clients up–to–date advice on the trends and options within our ever–changing industry: technological developments are moving at an unprecedented pace and we are best positioned to guide our clients through the available options and alternatives.

“Having supported Action Medical Research from the inception of our business, we always wanted to do a charity cycling event therefore it ticked a lot of boxes for our business, as I believe cycling has become the new golf for a lot of directors and business owners.

“The health and mental benefits derived from cycling are immense. Action Medical Research is a great charity to support and it also ties in with my own passion for motorsport, and obviously funds research into new and existing cures.”

Pictured for the Action Traction Bike Ride launch at the Fitzwilliam Hotel, Belfast from left are Anne Duffy, Paul McGuire from Traction Finance, Trevor Ringland, Jim Kirwood and Mike Todd from the Sparks NI Committee (back), and Caitlin Kearney from Traction Finance, Action Medical Research’s Jenny Scullion, committee chair Pamela Ballantine and Carrie Benn from Action Medical Research (front).

Action Medical Research is currently supporting work around childhood cancer, Down syndrome, epilepsy, and cystic fibrosis, as well as some rare and distressing conditions that severely affect children.

Around 200 babies are born with cataracts each year in the UK1 and Action is funding a project at the University of Aberdeen, in conjunction with the Centre of Vision and Vascular Science, Queens University, Belfast, to look at whether a revolutionary new approach to surgery might give children better eyesight than is currently possible – a benefit that would have far–reaching implications for children and their families.

The School of Biomedical Sciences, at the University of Ulster, is also involved in another study we are funding which is investigating whether children with Down syndrome would benefit from bifocal glasses. Dr Maggie Woodhouse, of Cardiff University, who is leading the research, hopes to discover more about how bifocals improve the vision of children with Down syndrome and their ability to explore the world around them.

Around 16,000 babies are born very prematurely, before 32 weeks of pregnancy, each year in the UK2–5 and being born this early puts children at high risk of experiencing learning difficulties. The University of Ulster’s School of Psychology is also involved with a study of teenagers who were born very prematurely to find out which areas of maths they are struggling with and why.

For more information on the Action Traction ride, please register your interest by visiting http://www.action.org.uk/action-traction-bike-ride or contact Carrie Benn: 02892 673333 or cbenn@action.org.uk