Preparations are in full swing for the Kirby Way Cycle 2022, with less than a month to the big event. Nearly 250 participants are so far signed up to take part in the event which will get underway at Kirby Group Engineering’s headquarters in Raheen Business Park, Limerick on the morning of September 2nd.

From Limerick the group will travel to the company’s Galway office and then on to Dublin, arriving at their final destination on the evening of Saturday September 3rd.

The major operation organised by staff members, alongside our fundraising partners and in conjunction with Warriors for Humanity, is designed to raise money for truly deserving causes, the National Breast Cancer Research Institute and Self Help Africa.

By donating funds to the National Breast Cancer Research Institute, the Kirby Way Cycle 2022 will help fund comprehensive research programmes at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Their research team, in collaboration with universities and hospitals across the globe, focuses on the development and improvement of diagnostic techniques and treatment strategies, to drive real and measurable improvement in clinical outcomes for breast cancer patients.

By donating funds to Self Help Africa, the Kirby Way Cycle 2022 will provide vital assistance in

• The planting of up to 200,000 trees across 10 countries
• The construction of 50 boreholes in rural villages, providing thousands of people with a safe, clean water supply
• Enabling 30,000 families to grow food across 10 countries
• Installing solar powered kiosks in 50 communities, each of which will power 100 households

HR Officer Melandri Van Zyl is among the Kirby team members set to take part in the event in a few weeks’ time. She says “Thanks to our work in the HR Department, I’m acutely aware of the importance of building and maintaining team spirit, particularly during the challenging past couple of years. Kirby has spent decades instilling this kind of approach to projects and something like the Kirby Way Cycle is another great way to put that into practice. I’m looking forward to taking part – I’ll be cycling from Limerick to Galway and it’s going to be a great experience”.

Operations Director Mikey Ryan is leading the Kirby Way Cycle project. He says everything is coming together nicely: “At this stage we have around 250 people committed, and the number is growing. We’re also getting great support from the likes of the Gardai and local county councils as we prepare to take to the roads for that weekend. We joke amongst ourselves about who will be at the front or the back of the pack, but as with everything Kirby does, safety is our top priority and we’re putting everything in place to ensure it’s a safe and enjoyable experience”.

Former dual GAA star in Galway Alan Kerins heads up Warriors for Humanity and has been involved in many major fundraising events. He’s looking forward to the Kirby Way Cycle 2022: “‘From working with Kirby a lot in recent years I know their number one core value is People. This project allows them to put that into practice by getting their team together and creating a real buzz about the cooperation involved, and helping some of the people most in need in Africa too. Everything about this embodies their fantastic approach to projects and I can’t wait to get started next month”.

You can follow all the latest updates on preparation for The Kirby Way Cycle on the company’s Twitter and LinkedIn feeds. If you’d like to get involved or show your support, you can email marketing@kirbygroup.com or make a donation on our fundraising page, https://www.idonate.ie/event/3468_the-kirby-way.html.