News & Events

News & Events / MPCT Staff triumph at the 2018 Velothon

MPCT Staff triumph at the 2018 Velothon

Here are some reflective thoughts from MPCT’s Head of Quality and Policy; Gary West, on the day….

“There is no better place to ride than the South Wales valleys when the sun is shining. Sunday 8th July 2018 saw the fourth annual Velothon Wales event. Over the last 4 years, 6 members of MPCT have took up this challenge and completed the event. This year, amongst the 8000 participants, MPCT fielded 4 riders, Justin Edwards (Centre manager of MPC Swansea), riding with a team of mates from Swansea; and Team MPCT, comprising of Nathan Trowbridge (MPCT Sports Academy), Huw Moores (MPCT Head of Communications) and myself. The Velothon Wales is a closed road cycling event which starts and finishes in Cardiff city centre. This year, there were 3 routes to complete, the 140km, 125km and 60km.

The 140 and 125km routes started outside Cardiff City Hall and then out towards Newport, at this point the team where going strong picking off pelotons as we went. After a loop round the Newport the route headed out past Celtic Manor resort and out to Usk. After a well-deserved stop at the feed station, the team headed off. At this point the decision to carry on with the 140km route or ‘turn right’ and complete the slightly shorter 125km route. Brimming with confidence, Nathan summoned the strength to tackle the notorious ‘Tumble’ hill, while Huw and Gary decided to ‘give it a miss’. In the sweltering sun and over 30-degree heat, his turned out to be a good (and right) decision. After the routes joined together again in Pontypool, the ride gathered pace. The general public were amazing, from banners on bridges to crowds lining the road, the support was incredible. The final challenge was Caerphilly mountain. This relatively short, but very steep climb has claimed the soul of many riders. Again, big up to Nathan, who managed to get up the mountain without stopping, kudos my friend.

The final, and unscheduled, stop for Team MPCT was the Black Griffin pub in Lisvane. The draw of a cold pint was too much of a temptation. From there, it was a quick run in through North Cardiff to the finish line at City Hall.

We have to say thanks to our MD Huw Lewis for supporting us with the physical activity sponsorship scheme, it’s been a great support in training up for the event and maintenance of our fitness.”

 

Back to news articles

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh visits Learning Curve Group

HRH the Duke of Edinburgh visited the Learning Curve Group Headquarters in County Durham this morning to mark the Group’s 20th anniversary and officially open their Headquarters at DurhamGate. Brenda McLeish OBE DL, CEO of Learning Curve Group, welcomed His Royal Highness and escorted him through the building where he met staff from various departments,...

Read more

Armed Forces Week 2024 – A Thank You from MPCT 

Today marks the start of Armed Forces Week 2024. With a large military provision, we would like to take this opportunity to show our appreciation to all armed forces personnel, past and present. The Armed Forces community work around the clock to protect our way of life and defend UK interests at home and overseas....

Read more

Think we’re great… tell a mate

Refer a friend to a programme at an MPCT Military Academy and earn yourself £50* MPCT’s refer-a-friend scheme is open! Simply tell your friends to enrol online and pass on your name to secure some much needed £££. The scheme allows you to be rewarded for introducing your friends to any of our MPCT academies....

Read more

SAS veteran and influencer, Phil Campion, partners with MPCT to empower future soldiers.

Phil Campion, a veteran with an extensive background in military operations, has partnered with military preparation college, MPCT. to inspire future generations of armed forces personnel.  Campion has more than 71,000 followers on Instagram, where he motivates and inspires people through content focussed on mental health, fitness, and the military lifestyle. He is also a...

Read more

Our Top Eight Study Tips for Students Doing Their GCSEs.

This week marks the beginning of the GCSE exam season for thousands of learners across the UK. For a lot of young people, this can be the most stressful time in their educational life, so it’s important to make sure you are ready and have all the tools and tips you need! Of course, there...

Read more

A college like no other – as seen on BBC One Show

Men still make up 88% of the Armed Forces. There are a huge variety of roles in the Armed Forces, all of which are open to women, where you can expect equal pay, equal opportunities, and equal expectations. Develop confidence, travel the world, and enjoy sport and fitness in a career full of variety and...

Read more