It’s always great to get the business world involved in Big Yellow Friday, and even better when organisations can join forces, which is what happened in Birmingham last week!
Colmore BID, the team which manages improvements and services for the city’s business district, decided to join in with a 24-hour static cycle ride.
The idea was the brainchild of Community Support Officer, Zack. “As soon as I read about Big Yellow Friday and its purpose, I immediately knew I wanted to help—raising money and awareness for such a meaningful cause,” he says.
Zack also knew that spending this long on a bike would be a challenge: “I did something similar when I was 21—but I’m definitely not as fit as I used to be! In fairness, the cycling itself wasn’t the issue—it was the discomfort of the seat. I was given a pillow and later a padded bike seat to make it more bearable, but the pain quickly faded thanks to the support of everyone who joined me.
“I cycled for 13 hours, while the remaining 11 hours were covered by 16 incredible volunteers from the district, each cycling for either 30 minutes, 45 minutes, or an hour. The conversations made the time fly by—before I knew it, I looked at the clock and I was already six hours in. I would say that one of the biggest challenges was eating throughout the day—I’d already finished my packed lunch by 10am because I got so hungry so early!
What the Colmore BID team didn’t realise when they planned their challenge was that Interface, another of the businesses in the Colmore District, was also taking part in Big Yellow Friday. Showroom manager, Sophie, had organised a Wear Yellow and Eat Yellow day as her niece, Nellie, has a liver condition. When she heard about BID team’s challenge, she organised a morale boosting visit!
“Nellie absolutely lifted our spirits when she arrived—she was adorable,” says Zack. Speaking with her family and seeing her smile gave me that extra motivation to push through to the end.”
The Colmore BID cycle challenge raised £525 and the Interface Wear Yellow Eat Yellow Day raised £322. A huge thank you to both of you for working together in the most brilliant way.
If your business would like to get involved in Big Yellow Friday next year email fundraising@childliverdisease.org.
