Members of the Insitution of Civil Engineers (ICE) will be using pedal power to support engineering charities as the region pays host to a special visitor: Brunel the Bear!
Brunel is a well-dressed toy bear named after the great Victorian engineer, Isambard Kingtom Brunel, who is most famous for engineering the Great Western Railway, the SS Great Britain and the Royal Albert Bridge spanning the River Tamar. He is a mascot for ICE members who support engineering charities.
Brunel the Bear left ICE’s headquarters in Westminster on 9 April for a whistle-stop tour of each of ICE’s 12 UK regions: visiting the East Midlands region between 18 June and 2 July.
The idea is that Brunel is moved using sustainable transport and members of ICE Graduates and Students and Lincolnshire branches are taking part in a sponsored cycle ride on Saturday 2 July.
There are two parts to the journey. Some more hardy members will leave the Cross Keys Bridge, Sutton Bridge, South Holland at 5am joining with other members of the group, who will leave Lincoln Cathedral at 10.30am to complete the final 40 miles of the 104 mile journey to the Humber Bridge.
On arriving at the Humber bridge at approximately 2.30pm, they will then hand over Brunel to members of ICE’s Yorkshire and Humber region for the bear to continue his journey.
In return for their pedal power, the intrepid cyclists need your sponsorship. All funds raised will be split equally between three engineering charities:
- Engineers Without Borders–UK: an international development organisation that focuses on young engineers reducing poverty through research, training, education and school outreach;
- RedR: an international disaster relief charity which responds to major emergencies, including: earthquakes, conflicts, floods and droughts;
- Engineers Against Poverty: a charity that works with industry, governement and civil society to promote sustainable development through education and training.
To sponsor the teams, please visit: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/BruneltheBearLincolnshire.
Claire Rose, Committee Member of ICE East Midlands Graduates and Students Committee member, who is taking part in the cycle ride, commented: "These three engineering charities provide engineering knowledge and skills to make life better for people and communities around the world.
“Brunel the Bear's Big Journey not only helps to support these charities but reminds us of our regional civil engineering structures along the way."
For more information, please visit: www.brunelthebear.org/#eastmid or follow him on Twitter @Brunel_EM.