Press release – Pedalling for a purpose: BCF gears up to support The Myton Hospices at Charity Cycle

Image: BCF CEO Tom Bowtell with riders at BCF’s fifth annual Charity Cycle: Ride Warwickshire

On Friday 4th July, the British Coatings Federation (BCF) held its fifth annual charity bike ride in support of The Myton Hospices, starting at their office in Coventry before covering the breadth of the local Warwickshire countryside. The BCF's activities have raised just under £24,000 for Myton in memory of BCF colleague Callum Plummer, who tragically passed away in January 2025 at just 22 years old.

This year’s event had over 50 riders, who took part in one of three distances: 35km, 52km or 100km. BCF participants have now cycled a total of 22,448km, a distance equivalent to travelling from London to Jakarta and back.

The Myton Hospices are dedicated to enhancing life when cure is no longer an option. They provide compassionate support to people living with a wide range of terminal illnesses, as well as to their families, from the point of diagnosis to end of life. By prioritising the wellbeing of each patient, Myton aims to help them reengage with their lives and create meaningful moments with their loved ones. All of Myton’s services are provided free of charge, but to make this possible, they must raise £12.7 million of their £15.3 million annual running costs through fundraising.  

The total funds raised from the event could provide, for example, 529 days of accommodation for relatives, 600 hours of specialist nursing care, 600 children’s counselling sessions or 143 weeks, almost three years, of meals for a patient. 

Tom Bowtell, CEO of BCF, said: “This year’s Charity Cycle carries special meaning for us all. The Myton Hospices provided extraordinary care to our much-missed colleague, Callum, during his final days. The kindness and compassion shown to him and his family left a lasting impact, and our riders’ participation helps us honour his memory in the most meaningful way.

“I’m delighted that we hit our target of £20,000 for Myton - an amazing achievement that simply wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication and generosity of our riders and their supporters. I want to give particular thanks to one of our riders, Chris Corkan of Make UK, who has raised a staggering £2,500 of the total funds.

The event serves as a reminder that Callum’s memory continues to ride with us - always part of the BCF team.”

Gregg Plummer, Callum’s father who took part in the Charity Cycle, added: “Taking part in this ride is my way of honouring Callum and everything he went through. The Myton Hospices gave him such incredible care, and this is a chance to give something back in his name.”

Image: Callum’s parents Winnie and Gregg Plummer with riders at BCF’s Charity Cycle

Chris Willmott, Partnerships Manager at The Myton Hospices, commented: “A huge thank you to everyone involved in the amazing British Coatings Federation Ride Warwickshire event in memory of Callum Plummer.

“From the team who organised such a wonderful event, to the riders who took part, the sponsors who helped make it possible and the amazing supporters who dug deep and helped raise such wonderful amounts of money. It was an honour to be part of such a special occasion, remembering a very special young man and involving so many of his family and loved ones.

“Here at The Myton Hospices, we simply cannot do what we do without the amazing support of each and every one of you.

“So, thank you on behalf of everyone at Myton – and most importantly – on behalf of our patients and their loved ones whose lives you make such a difference to.”

The BCF would like to thank everyone who has taken part in this year’s Charity Cycle and donated. If you would still like to donate, you can do so at our JustGiving page here: 

www.justgiving.com/campaign/ridewarwickshire2025

A special thanks to our sponsors: Tronox Pigments, INX International UK, Dacrylate Paints, Indestructible Paints and hubergroup, whose support of BCF’s Charity Cycle Ride is invaluable. 

To read more about the charity and find out about the difference your support makes, visit www.mytonhospice.org.

ENDS