Standard Chartered Vietnam sponsors for Newborns cycle ride

25 cyclists from the UK are cycling 1,500 kilometres from northern mountainous Lao Cai province to central Danang city in 10 days, to bring British neonatal nursing expertise to Vietnam. They are being joined in central Quang Tri province by directors of international companies in Vietnam, including Louis Taylor, general director of Standard Chartered Bank Vietnam, who will cycle the final 500km towards Danang. The UK cyclists include Mike Hall, who in 2012 broke the round the world record for circumnavigating the globe by bicycle – 29,000km in 92 days.

 “I’ve taken up cycling in Vietnam, and I simply couldn’t pass up this opportunity to combine an amazing cycle ride with making a difference to thousands of new lives.  Standard Chartered is proud to sponsor this effort, which is so clearly in line with our brand promise - to be “Here for good”,” said Taylor.

The cycle ride will finish on May 26 at the Danang Hospital for Women & Children with an official welcome for the cycling heroes from City officials and the British Ambassador, Dr Antony Stokes. The cyclists will meet the nurses they are sponsoring and visit the neonatal intensive care unit. Besides, each cyclist has made a personal appeal for wider support in their communities at home via their own fund raising web page at www.justgiving.com.

In addition to sponsorship from various high profiles multinational companies the intrepid cyclists have already raised $135,000 to support an eighteen–month neonatal teaching programme from UK Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU). The programme is approved by the Ministry of Health and led by Danang Department of Health and Newborns Vietnam. Through direct long-term partnerships with local public health providers, Newborns Vietnam encourages and supports their efforts to integrate maternal and newborn care into their existing health systems.