Tuppen raises £75k for soldiers' charity

Enterprise boss Ted Tuppen may be sitting rather awkwardly at the moment. Not from any trade issues, you understand, it's just that he's getting over his gruelling 350-mile bike ride for the soldiers' rehabilitation charity Help for Heroes.

In often foul weather, the lycra-clad Tuppen cycled from Sword Beach in Normandy, round the north France battlefields and back to London. He aimed to

raise £20,000, but has now matched industry contributions to take it to £75,000.

Thanks to him and fellow cyclists, the charity has raised £6m. It will go to helping soldiers injured in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where his son Tom has been serving in the Gurkhas. "It's a cause I really believe in," he said.

Many industry peers supported Tuppen, and some couldn't resist a little good-natured tease to accompany their online donations. "Didn't know Aston Martin made bicycles," quipped Tragus boss Graham Turner.

"Lucky it falls outside the shooting season," jested Greene King chairman Tim Bridge. And his number two Simon Townsend donated "£1 per blister, but I don't need a post audit, thanks!"

Shepherd Neame more than did its bit too. Managing director Jonathan Neame organised a Help for Heroes Spitfire promotion, from which the brewer gave 10p a pint, which Enterprise then matched. It raised many thousands, as did Sheps' off-trade Heroes promotion.

You can still donate to the Help for Heroes cause: go to justgiving.com/tedtuppen.