BEN Sets Sail for Charity

This year the automotive industry charity BEN will make its debut in an extremely demanding event, the notoriously gruelling ‘Rolex Fastnet yacht race’. The BEN entry into the 608 miles race, which starts on August 12, is being made in the form of a joint team effort along with Business Development & Marketing Ltd. (BDM), and the combined crew will be sailing on a 60-foot yacht called L’isme.

The entry has been arranged by Mike Surridge, managing director of BDM, an organisation working predominately within the automotive sector. When not wearing his managing director’s hat Mike Surridge is a commercially qualified and experienced skipper with a number of passages, races and teaching experiences under his ‘keel’. By entering in the race the crew of 8 guests and 2 core crew members will raise £9500 for BEN.

Charles Davis, who recently joined BEN as director of fundraising and communications, commented “What struck me the most about this initiative is the huge amount of effort that each member has put behind raising sponsorship funds.” He added “I would like to thank Mike Surridge, in particular, for all his efforts in bringing this event together and for the many hours of organisation required for this type of event. I would also like to thank all those who have put so much effort into raising the funds including NGK, Peugeot finance and the AA are represented by 5 of the 8 sponsored crew.”