FOUR employees from a Dewsbury company have completed a gruelling 500-mile cycling challenge in France in just three days as part of a mammoth charity event.

The Rixonway Kitchens team of commercial director Julian Dudley, financial controller David Balfour, operations director Nick Greenall and head of merchant sales Andy Prosser raised more than £3,500 in The Cahors Challenge.

Half of the money raised will go to the British Limbless Ex Service Men's Association with the rest going to the organiser’s chosen charities, Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation.

“We’ve had tremendous support from all our colleagues, family and friends,” said Julian. “This is the second cycle challenge we have completed and we thoroughly enjoyed it despite it being challenging at times.

“Last year, we completed The Irish Challenge in heavy rain and strong winds so it was a nice change to be cycling in glorious sunshine this time.”

The challenge was conducted in a relay with just one of the four cycling for an hour at a time. The route took the cyclists through Brittany into Normandy and over the Loire into the Dordogne.

Organisers of The Cahors Challenge expected to have raised a £250,000 this year from the 83 teams that took part – bringing the total raised for good causes since its launch in 1996 to £3m-plus..

This is the latest in a string of charity challenges completed by Rixonway Kitchens.

The four completed a similar cycling challenge in Ireland last year which raised more than £6,000 for Lincolnshire-based Lindsey Lodge Hospice as well as the main charities for this year’s cycle.

Last year, volunteers from the company swam 10,000 metres and rose more than £1,500 in the Marie Curie Cancer Care Swimathon. Rixonway also worked with contractor Mears to jointly donate £500 to Great Ormond Street Hospital – the charity chosen by the resident receiving the 500th kitchen installation in a refurbishment programme.

Rixonway, formed in 1978, is the only UK kitchen manufacturer working solely in affordable and social housing. It makes 12,000 units per week and employs more than 400 people at its Dewsbury headquarters with 40 designers operating nationwide.

To support the Rixonway team and make a donation, visit http://www.justgiving.com/Rixonwaycyclists