Glen Gardaner, UK senior operations manager at international logistics specialist Aramex UK, last week embarked on a 100-mile South Downs Way bike ride to raise vital funds for Porridge & Pens, a UK-based charity which supports children living in poverty in Ghana by providing access to free education, daily meals, clean water, and a safe learning environment.
Glen has broken his initial target of £1,000, having raised a total of £1,382, which he has pledged to raise for the charity’s Brightlingsea School project in Ghana. Aramex UK has pledged to double this amount.
The money will go towards helping fund a deeper well and build a bridge so Ghanaian children at the school are able to consistently access safe, clean water year‑round.
The Brightlingsea Academy provides life-changing education to 350 children aged between 6 months and 14 years and is currently the only free and disability safe school operating within the region.
Those who attend The Brightlingsea Academy live in conditions of extreme poverty and deprivation, however while at school they are able to receive two nutritious meals daily, a full school uniform, as well as medical cards.
The association with Porridge & Pens’ Brightlingsea School project comes from the long-standing and close partnership between Aramex UK and its customer Childrensalon, a childrenswear retailer based in Tunbridge Wells.
Through leveraging its suite of logistics services, Aramex UK sends weekly shipments to charities, schools, colleges and local authorities all around the UK and worldwide on behalf of Childrensalon’s charitable Foundation – which heavily supports Porridge & Pens in both raising funds and providing donations.
In conjunction with Childrensalon, Aramex UK plays a crucial role in ensuring these donations reach those who need them most, no matter where they are in the world.
Glen Gardaner senior operations manager at Aramex UK
Since the two companies came together in 2008, they have helped raise over £1 million for charitable causes internationally and on home soil.
Being no stranger to supporting Brightlingsea Academy, Aramex UK in 2023 organised the shipment of shoes, stationery, clothing, cutlery, wool and other sewing materials, along with a variety of sweet treats, free of charge to the school as well as and the Girl Power Project. In the same year, Childrensalon set an additional ambitious fundraising target of £12,000 to build new classrooms at Brightlingsea School, ensuring that children could continue their education in a safe environment, which was achieved with the help of Aramex UK.
Glen was the latest from the Aramex UK team to support Porridge & Pen’s Brightlingsea School project, having travelled over 100 miles and traversing 12,500 feet in elevation. The South Downs Way, which stretches from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in East Sussex, is a 160-kilometer national trail that winds its way through some of the most picturesque countryside in southern England, typically taking cyclists between 2-4 days to complete.
However, for Glen, who is nearly 56 years of age, set himself an impressive target of tackling the trail in 20 hours – which he gallantly achieved, completing the ride in just over 14 hours.
Glen Gardaner commented: “Supporting Porridge & Pens and the incredible work they do at Brightlingsea Academy means a great deal to me, both from a personal perspective as well as professionally. I’ve seen first-hand how the partnership between Aramex UK and Childrensalon can make a real difference on the ground, and I wanted to contribute in my own way as the work the charity does and the impact it has is incredible.
“Brightlingsea School is lucky if it has running water from its own water well, which is unfortunately running dry at present. Our goal was to raise funds in order to dig a much deeper well which won’t run dry and instead will provide accessible, clean water for every single child at the school. It will then in the afternoon be free to be used by the wider community. On top of this, due to the children having to walk over difficult terrain, which includes a stream on their journey into school, we want to build them a bridge so they can get across safely all year round.
“It was a tough ride, but nothing compared to the daily challenges the children at Brightlingsea Academy face just to access basic necessities like clean water and education. The money raised is going to make a huge difference to the lives of children, their families and those within the local community and for that I couldn’t be more grateful and thankful to those which have donated and played a huge role in helping me beat my fundraising target.”