AEROMARK TRACKS CHARITY CYCLISTS RAISING FUNDS FOR AUTISM CONCERN

Published 19th August 2009

8 Day Charity Bike Ride to Northampton’s Twin Towns in France and Germany 25 July – 1 August 2009

BEDFORD, UK: 19 August, 2009: Jon Sleightholme, ex England and Northampton Saints rugby player, has led a team of 13 cyclists on an 8 day, 1,000 plus mile marathon to raise funds for Autism Concern. From Northampton, Sleightholme and the team cycled to Northampton’s Twin Towns; Poitiers in France, and then on to Marburg in Germany to complete the ride. The team used Aeromark’s Aerotrack vehicle tracking solution to track the mammoth journey via the Twin Towns Challenge website.

Team member, Chris Bigsby, carried the specially made GPS tracking device which fitted snugly under the saddle of his bike. “Chris told us of his involvement in the Twin Towns Challenge and we were delighted to support Autism Concern by providing the team with our tracking capability”, said Roger Marks, Aeromark’s managing director. “Accurate live updates were taken every 10 minutes to show the progress the riders were making from the moment they set off from Northampton. Aerotrack allowed sponsors and supporters of the Challenge to see the exact progress of the team as they rode. This visibility increased interest in the charity and visitors to the Twin Towns Challenge website, helping to increase donations.”

The Twin Towns Challenge forms part of a major fundraising plan driven by Sleightholme, who is President of Northampton based Autism Concern.

“As soon as I realised that a decrease in donations and grants was threatening the future of Autism Concern, it was essential that we started raising money fast,” explained Sleightholme. “Late last year the idea of The Twin Towns Challenge started to come together and the ride, which finished on Saturday 1 August, has already raised £30,000 of our £50,000 target.”

“Autism Concern needs to raise £150,000 this year to get back on its feet and to prevent a cut in the services it provides to families with Autistic children,” said Chris Bigsby. “As a friend of Jon, I was only too willing to support the charity by taking part in the ride. Although it was very hard, riding 125 miles a day is the equivalent of running a marathon, all of the team felt it was a great experience.”

The Twin Towns Challenge was supported by dual team pursuit gold medal winner in Beijing, Paul Manning, and the Royal Navy Cycling Team who rode with the group during the first leg of the ride from Northampton to Portsmouth.

“Aeromark’s tracking solution was a great way for all of the riders’ families and friends, especially children, to keep a track of our progress. My wife, Julie, was pestered constantly by my two boys to log on to the Twin Towns Challenge website to see where I was!” concluded Sleightholme.

About Autism Concern
Autism Concern, based in Northampton, is a charity which provides support and options to people affected by all forms of autism in gaining independence and control of their lives.
For more information visit: www.autismconcern.org

About Aeromark
Aeromark is a provider of mobile technology and has developed both Optimatics, the next level of telematics, and Workflow DynMX, a new technology that transforms the way in which mobile workforce PDA applications are designed and deployed.
For more information visit: www.aeromark.co.uk

Contact: Sarah Chidgey, Essential Communications
Tel: +44 (0) 1635 43967 - e-mail: sarah@essential-communications.com