Action 100: Zed PR goes the extra mile - literally

Well, since the rest of the world is having this unleashed upon them, you may as well see it too....

NEWS RELEASE
July 3,2006
ZED PR GOES THE EXTRA MILE FOR CLIENTS

Reading based public relations consultancy Zed PR is gearing up for a busy summer as it prepares for the Action 100 Bike Ride on Sunday 27 August 2006. The cycle ride celebrates its Silver Jubilee this summer. As well as handling PR in the Bristol and Bath area for the event, Claire Thompson, the company’s MD, will be cycling the 100 mile ride in aid of UK charity Action Medical Research while her Zed PR colleague, Nicola Rodie, volunteers on the day.

“It’s all very well promoting an event for a client, but to take part requires an extra level of commitment. I’m far from a regular cyclist, and am cycling on a bike donated by my mother in law, so training for the ride is a real challenge!” laughed Claire. “Although 100 miles seems a lot it is really very achievable if I put the work in now. I’ve watched people with some really debilitating conditions such as chronic asthma and even amputees manage the ride over the past few years, and it would be great to have some fellow Reading residents involved.”

Claire’s colleague Nicola, who has played a key role in getting the great PR coverage that the ride has enjoyed this year, is lending her support by serving lunch at the Theale halfway point. “From a business perspective, it’s great for Zed to be involved with a charity – it’s not only rewarding but it also helps to keep your approach fresh,” she said. “We work with people who are passionate about what they do. 2006 marks the Silver Jubilee for the event so we have pulled out all the stops to try and make this year the most successful yet.”

Action Medical Research was originally founded to cure polio, and having helped to pioneer the vaccine, has expanded its research across a huge array of medical areas including premature birth, MRSA and stroke. In its history the charity has helped to develop the hip replacement, the rubella vaccine and the cooling cap (to reverse brain damage in premature pregnancy). The Action 100 Bike Ride is Action Medical Research’s biggest cycling fundraiser, having raised over £850k for the charity in its 24 years.

“Working with a charity such as Action Medical Research forces us to be creative on a tiny budget. For instance I’ve been writing an Internet ‘blog’ about the ride which has forced us to learn about the medium in a very practical way,” said Claire. “Blogging is a great way to make a big event like this personal. Hopefully others will be amused and add to the sponsorship. The charity is one of those great organisations that touch people’s lives without their knowing - it’s very hard to find someone who is untouched by the work the charity helps fund.”

Claire’s grandmother had polio, which the charity has now helped eradicate in the UK, and she suffers from migraines, into which the charity also funds research. Her blog can be seen at http://bathride.blogspot.com.

As well as Action Medical Research, Zed PR handles a number of accounts across the technology and consumer sector, and is also running a series of ‘starter PR’ seminars to allow small businesses to get started on their own PR initiatives.

Riders can sign up online at http://www.action100ride.org.uk/ or by calling (0117) 973 6993, or by emailing mailto:registration[@]action100ride.org.uk.[taking out the anti-spamming brackets]
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So what's keeping you? Get on and register - if I can do it with my rugby players knees, so can you!