A Lancaster local and M&S colleague is preparing to cycle the length of the country to raise vital funds for the charity YoungMinds.
Derek Buckley (65), who has worked with M&S intermittently since 1980, is one of 18 colleagues taking on the gruelling Land's End to John O' Groats challenge as part of M&S’ ‘Big Fun-Raiser’ charity event.
Starting on 4 June, the team will embark on a mammoth 900-mile journey, cycling for 10 consecutive days and covering approximately 90-100 miles each day, as part of M&S’ efforts to support young people's mental health through its partnership with YoungMinds.
Derek, whose career with M&S began when the company first opened in his native Dublin, said his motivation comes from a passion for helping the next generation. "I have a great belief in young people, but I also see how much harder their world is today with the constant pressures of the internet and social media," he explained. "Through my past voluntary work with local charity Escape2Make, where I taught kids how to fix bikes, I saw first-hand the challenges they navigate.
“That’s why the work of YoungMinds is so vital, because when a young person struggles with their mental health, it doesn’t just impact them, it has a ripple effect on the entire family. Supporting the parents, brothers, and sisters is just as crucial and that was a huge inspiration for me to get involved."
M&S has raised over £6.6million for charity partner YoungMinds over the past two and a half years and is now aiming to reach £7 million to help fund the charity’s work. This includes their services and support for parents and carers, to ensure more young people and families get the support they need.
This isn't Derek's first endurance challenge as he previously completed the same gruelling route in 2023 for Cystic Fibrosis. "I did the ride by myself, and I can still recall standing at the train station beforehand thinking, ‘What on earth have I let myself in for?’" he recalled.
"The weather was relentless with two weeks of non-stop rain, which meant much of the lovely scenery was just a blur. This time, I’m looking forward to the company and hopefully, I can soak up the scenery and actually see the country!”
"Last time, I was cycling 60-70 miles a day. This time, we’re looking at 90-100 miles, which is a daunting prospect," said Derek.
"They’ve done an incredible job of connecting colleagues from all over the country - most of us have never met before - so we can prepare as a group. We may be strangers now, but I’m sure we’ll know each other very well by the end! That’s my main goal, to see all 18 of us make it to the end to celebrate together at that lamppost in John O' Groats - that will be an incredible experience."
As he makes his final preparations, Derek is encouraging the local community to get behind the challenge: “It’s such a great cause to get behind and I'm passionate about helping young people get the support they need, because that’s what this is truly all about.
"Knowing we have the support of our local community will definitely make those tough miles feel that little bit easier.”
Abigail Ampofo, Interim Chief Executive at YoungMinds, said: “We’re hugely grateful to Derek and all the riders at M&S for taking part in this challenge. Their fundraising efforts will help support our work including our parents helpline, so we can be there for parents and carers and the young people in their lives, at a time when more young people than ever are struggling with their mental health.”
To learn more about the event or to donate, visit thebigfunraiser.com
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For further information, please contact:
M&S Corporate Press Office: +44 (0)20 8718 1919
[email protected]
Notes to editor
Launched in 2023, M&S and YoungMinds partnered to make a difference for young people’s mental health.
YoungMinds are the UK’s leading youth mental health charity, providing vital support to young people and equipping the adults in their lives with the tools they need to help.
Your efforts have already helped us smash our £5m target for YoungMinds. With your support, M&S aims to raise a further £1.5m - that amount could fund YoungMinds’ services for parents and carers for a whole year.
About M&S
At M&S our vision is to be the UK’s most trusted retailer, committed to doing the right thing for our customers, communities, and colleagues. We offer a wide range of delicious, great-quality M&S Food and stylish Fashion, Home and Beauty products across UK stores, international franchise partners and online at M&S.com. With quality at the heart of everything we do, we bring the magic of M&S to life through exceptional products, great value, outstanding service, and continuous innovation - delivering an inspiring shopping experience whenever and however customers choose to shop with us.
About YoungMinds
YoungMinds is the leading charity for young people’s mental health. They provide information and advice for young people online, through social media and direct programmes to support their mental health. They also run a dedicated parents helpline, providing information and guidance for parents and carers to support their child’s mental health. The parents helpline can be reached on 0808 802 5544. Or visit youngminds.org.uk for more information.
Follow YoungMinds on Instagram and Facebook