Pedal power: guests put through their paces at GOSH Charity's Velodrome pursuit

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH Charity) and The Gordon and Tana Ramsay Foundation welcomed 250 guests at the annual Velodrome Challenge event at Lee Valley VeloPark on Thursday 6 October. The event raised a total of £316,000 for GOSH Charity, to support seriously ill children from across the UK who are treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

The Gordon and Tana Ramsay Foundation teamed up with GOSH Charity to create the Velodrome Challenge, a bespoke, adrenaline filled event sponsored by Morgan Stanley and Freshfields, which allows cyclists to compete at the iconic Velodrome in London’s Olympic Park.

The 20 teams who attended were provided with specialised coaching from cycling legends Victoria Pendleton CBE, Jody Cundy CBE, James Golding, Ryan Owens and Alex Dowsett before taking part in a high-speed race around the track. In the evening, the guests were able to enjoy a panel discussion hosted by BBC presenter, Ore Oduba. Alongside Gordon Ramsay and Victoria Pendleton, Chris Robshaw and GOSH Charity Clinical Professor in Paediatric Neuro-Oncology and Honorary Consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), Professor Darren Hargrave, also joined the panel to give their expert tips on high performance.

The teams completed their day with a fundraising gala dinner in the middle of the famous track – the menu having been designed by Gordon’s team and Absolute Taste.

The money raised will go towards supporting children’s cancer care at GOSH. GOSH sees the most rare and difficult-to-treat childhood cancers, seeing around 400 children who have been diagnosed with cancer every year – more than any other hospital in the UK. Although investment in research and treatments has dramatically improved survival rates, cancer remains the most common cause of death in the UK in children aged one to 14.

The Velodrome Challenge is the latest way the Gordon and Tana Ramsay Foundation has supported GOSH Charity, after announcing its partnership in 2015. Since then, the Foundation has raised over £1million for GOSH Charity to help support the hospital’s most urgent needs.

Victoria Pendleton CBE said: “It’s amazing to have raised over £300,000 for GOSH Charity from this year’s Velodrome Challenge after having a wonderful day with all our guests. GOSH is a place very close to my heart and I am honoured to support the charity in my role as Children’s Champion. I have seen first-hand the difference the money raised can make to the seriously ill children who are treated there, so I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came along to the event.”

Liz Tait, GOSH Charity’s Director of Fundraising said: “The Velodrome Challenge is a fantastic event and we love joining forces with the incredible Gordon and Tana Ramsay Foundation to raise as much money as possible to support the hospital.

“To raise over £300,000 is just amazing and it will go a long way to provide the best possible care for children with cancer who are treated at GOSH. I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our event sponsors Morgan Stanley and Freshfields, and to everyone involved.”

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For media enquiries and high-res images please contact:

Grace Waters, GOSH Charity Press Office – Grace.Waters@gosh.org / 020 3841 3237

About The Gordon and Tana Ramsay Foundation

In September 2015 The Gordon and Tana Ramsay Foundation launched a new partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity. This partnership is raising funds which will go towards helping the hospital to provide world-class care for young patients and their families, pioneer new treatments, have the most cutting edge equipment and support the redevelopment of the hospital to provide state-of-the-art facilities. The Gordon and Tana Ramsay Foundation is helping to give seriously ill children the best chance for life and helping to make Great Ormond Street Hospital an even more extraordinary place.

About Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity: 

Great Ormond Street Hospital is one of the world’s leading children’s hospitals with the broadest range of dedicated, children’s healthcare specialists under one roof in the UK. The hospital’s pioneering research and treatment gives hope to children from across the UK with the rarest, most complex and often life-threatening conditions. Our patients and families are central to everything we do – from the moment they come through the door and for as long as they need us.

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity needs to raise money to support the hospital to give seriously ill children, the best chance for life. The charity funds research into pioneering new treatments for children, provides the most up to date medical equipment, funds support services for children and their families and supports the essential rebuilding and refurbishment of the hospital. You can help us to provide world class care for our patients and families. For more information visit www.gosh.org