The Mission to Seafarers launches Tour Pour La Mer ‘09

02-12-2008

THE Mission to Seafarers has announced that its annual bike ride will return in 2009 with its biggest event to date at a reception held at Lloyd’s Register.

Since its creation in 2006, Tour Pour La Mer has raised thousands of pounds for the Mission’s work with seafarers in over 230 ports across the world and in 2009 it will return with a three-city, two-country European tour challenging even the most experienced of cyclists.

Running from 24-27 September, TPLM will host up to 500 riders to take on the challenge of the A-R-A shipping route cycling from Antwerp to Rotterdam on day one, followed by a Rotterdam to Amsterdam circular route on day two.

Speaking at the launch on Thursday (November 27), lead sponsor Lloyd’s Register chief executive Richard Saddler commented that the difficult economic situation facing the industry meant that it was even more important to care for seafarers.

“We still have a huge fleet and a bigger group of seafarers who aren’t used to the sea,” he said.

Sponsorship for the event includes Lloyd’s Register, Lloyd’s List, V.Ships, Fairplay and TradeWinds. Further sponsorship opportunities are available and companies wishing to get involved should contact The Mission to Seafarers for further information.

“TPLM has been one of the Mission’s most popular and most successful fundraising events and we are thrilled to be able to host the event in 2009,” said the Mission’s secretary general, the Revd Canon Bill Christianson. “Because of the economic outlook, we believe that seafarers will need our help more over the coming two years than in the previous five and we can only provide that level of care and assistance with the help of our generous supporters and donors at events such as TPLM.”

The first TPLM was held in 2006 and raised an impressive £250,000 for the Mission’s work in ports as far afield as Mombasa, Aqaba and Singapore. In 2009 it is hoped that figure will double to support the Mission’s port presences closer to home in places such as Rotterdam, Antwerp and Vlissingen as well as a number of UK ports including Immingham and Southampton.

For further information on TPLM, contact Stuart Bell or click here