Alan Phillips, the CEO of Monkton Combe-based Paragon Structures, has organised a charity ball at the Assembly Rooms in Bath on 6th October in memory of his wife, Amanda Phillips.
Amanda died of cancer in 2015 aged 50 years and Alan hopes the ball will raise significant funds for Dorothy House Hospice Care, which provided respite and palliative care to his wife and support to the whole family.
Alan is also doing a sponsored, four-day cycle ride in the Alps from 20th September along with friends who knew Amanda and aims to raise a further £1,000 in funds for the hospice.
Speaking of his reasons for taking on this endurance cycling challenge, Alan Phillips said: “I want to celebrate my wife, Amanda, and we spent a lot of happy times in Switzerland as a couple.”
Alan and his team will set off on a 600km trek with a total climb of 12,000 metres between Veysonnaz in Switzerland to Annecy in France.
Each day includes three mountain climbs most of which have been included in the Tour de France and Tour of Switzerland. During the cycle ride the team will be guided by James Ouchterlony, a Commonwealth Games and Scotland mountain bike champion.
Former elite British Champion of mountain biking and Scotland representative in the Commonwealth Games, James Ouchterlony, said: “Alan has constructed a four-day cycling event in the French and Swiss Alps with each day having around 3,000 metres of climbing.
“For Alan’s event each day’s stage is worthy of being a Gran Tour stage. When you are pro-cyclist of 25 years old, the body recovers quickly after a gruelling days riding; lung function is at its best.
“When you double that age to 50 years old, training, diet, sleep has to be consistent and one has to be more careful when balancing high physical output with daily life.
“All riders on Alan’s event have to dedicate around 15 hours of quality riding per week and also have to constantly question and push upwards their perception of what is hard while riding. After riding with Alan’s team of riders in the Republic of Ireland I know they are dedicated athletes who will rise to the challenge.”
Ben Rockett, world record holder for the fastest cycle of the Land’s End – John O’Groats – Land’s End (LEJOGLE) route said: “This is an incredible feat for a non-professional cyclist, each cyclist will go through significant mental and physical pain.”
The charity ball in Bath will include an auction with lots such as an Indian safari and a rowing experience at Henley Regatta with Olympic gold medallist, Gregg Searle.
Tickets for the charity evening are still available and the theme for the ball this year is a ‘secret garden’ which plays on Amanda’s great love of botanical gardens.
If your company would like to help sponsor the event, Alan is looking for sponsorship for the drinks reception or casino at £500 each or table sponsorship at £100 per table.
Alan described the care provided by Dorothy House Hospice Care as “outstanding.” Amanda did not want treatment options via the NHS and said she didn’t feel judged at Dorothy House for wanting alternative treatment.
Alan said: “I’d recommend to anyone thinking about using Dorothy House’s services to contact the hospice as early as possible and find out what’s available. I underestimated the benefits to Amanda.
“I did think; ‘Oh no, she’s going in to hospice care’, – Amanda had to convince me that it wasn’t the end – at least not for a long time. Visiting Dorothy House allowed her to go on, knowing that she had their support network to help her.”
“My wife referred to the team at Dorothy House as angels because she received non-judgemental support there. We had tried alternative therapy in Germany, New York and other places but the hospice in Winsley really care and support your choices, they are fabulous.”
Tickets for the charity Ball cost £100 each, contact Alan on 07970 467643 for details. To donate to the Alpine cycle challenge, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/alan-phillips7.
