Giant Store Cork launch “The Gift of Cycling” project

The Giant Store in Cork have announced a new project for 2017 entitled “The Gift of Cycling.”

The Gift of Cycling will aim to raise funds to purchase bicycles and safety equipment for primary school students along with bicycles for some families in need at Christmas. Their target in year one is to fully supply one classroom with bicycles and help ten families at Christmas. By year two, their goal is to treble this number and by year three, they would ideally like to cater for ten classrooms.

The Gift of Cycling has stemmed from watching the progression of their own guys all the way from kids who started off cycling five kilometres to who are now on their way to being amongst the top senior riders in Ireland.

Through the years, they have sponsored a number of events, charities, clubs plus individual athletes through the store but they wanted something fresh that would give back to the community and better cycling in the long term.

Giant Cork will also introduce a bicycle skills day where they will interact with schools in a fun environment whilst teaching road cycling skills and improving the kids’ confidence. By starting at a young age, they feel they will see the positive knock-on effects for all road users in the years to come.

Giant Cork have teamed up with MSL Cork Mercedes-Benz for the project which will bring a huge awareness to it.

“MSL Cork Mercedes-Benz are proud to support the Cork Giant Store and the Gift of Cycling project. We have a number of keen cyclists within our own team at MSL Cork, including myself, so we are delighted to support both the sport and to play a role in giving the gift of cycling, which we have enjoyed so much ourselves, to those who otherwise may not have had the opportunity. We think this is a wonderful initiative and we are delighted to be involved,” said Declan O Hara, General Manager at MSL Cork.

Giant Cork are currently contacting schools about this project but if you would like your school to be part of it please send an email to info@giant-cork.ie

“With the team then it really is a personal thing. I have had most of these guy’s since they were twelve and they have progressed as some of the countries’ top Underage and Junior riders,” according to Will Curtin, proprietor of the Giant store in Cork.

“As a club in Ireland the biggest event I can get them to is An Post Rás. This year will be very much a steep learning curve for these young riders but our plan is to gain valuable race experience this year and move on towards the end of 2017 as a very competitive top senior team. If all keeps going to plan then we should be competitive in the 2018 season as a team and you’d never know what might happen at the Rás. The team car kindly sponsored by MSL Cork Mercedes-Benz brings a new level of professionalism to the team and raises the profile.”

Back up support for the team this year are:
John Murphy – Manager
Patrick O Connor – Mechanic
Frances Shanahan – IIEN Sports Injury Clinic Skibbereen Physical therapist
Cork Giant Store – sponsor
MSL Cork Mercedes-Benz – sponsor