COSTA BARISTAS CYCLE TO SUCCESS TO RAISE £2,500

• A team of eight Costa employees from the Wantage store cycled 80 miles to raise £2,500 for Costa Foundation
• Three regular Costa coffee customers also joined the Costa team to take part in the cycling challenge
• As well as the 80-mile sponsored cycle, staff took on crazy challenges to raise money – such as dying their hair purple!

A team of eight staff and three customers, of Costa coffee in Wantage have taken part in a testing 80-mile bike ride around the region to raise £2,500 for the Costa Foundation.

Store Manager, Alex Da Rocha led a team of baristas – and three customers - to victory when they completed the gruelling bike ride. In soaring hot temperatures of 30oc, their journey began at 7am from Costa, Wantage. From the Wantage store, they pedalled their way to Wallingford, Didcot, Abingdon, Witney as well as each and every Costa in Oxford, including; Queen St, Clarendon, Costa (Waterstones), Tesco Cowley and Summertown.

With a target of £2,000, each team members was tasked with collecting sponsorship from friends, family, partnering store colleagues and customers. Staff also set themselves challenges to raise even more money – one barista was so passionate to raise money that she dyed her hair purple!

Billy Ritson (assistant manager), Hannah Woodroffe, Tommy Allen (Barista Maestros) Olly Pill, Blake Latimer, Laura Naivar (baristas) and store manager of Costa on Queen Street (Oxford), Simon Cramp and brother, Matthew all took on the 80-mile challenge. In addition, regulars of the Costa Wantage Pete West and Ben Scott participated in the charity ride.

Store manager Alex De Rocha commented on the achievement: “I’m absolutely thrilled with my team, I couldn’t be prouder of them all. Almost 90 miles is no mean feat in good conditions, so do achieve the success we did in such uncomfortable conditions was fantastic. We’re also incredibly delighted to have regular customers Ben and Pete join our team. Pete has also worked with us to train and plan the route, so we may not have had such a smooth journey without his help!”