Data Centre Cycle Ride Team Departs Amsterdam for Monaco in Support of Mental Health
Amsterdam, The Netherlands — Spa Communications announces the MW Tour of Europe has this morning departed Amsterdam en route to Monaco, on a mammoth fundraising cycle ride in support of mental health awareness charity, Mates in Mind. The parcours will take the riders from The Netherlands to the Principality via Germany, Switzerland and France, climbing more than the equivalent of Mount Everest (+8849m) over the duration of the nine-day event.
Tom Babbington of DPR Construction, who conceived and organised the ride, says; “The built environment is a critical part of any data centre and construction represents a significant proportion of digital infrastructure GDP. The MW Tour of Europe was conceived to draw attention to the mental health crisis affecting workers in the construction sector, where a male-dominated culture is the root cause of some chilling statistics.”
According to information curated on the Mates in Mind website, UK mental health research reveals men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women. In construction, where a macho culture prevails, men are actually three times more likely to die by suicide than the national average, with around 700 males dying each year.
In addition to the tragic loss of life, there are also financial consequences associated with male reluctance to discuss mental wellbeing: Stress, anxiety, and depression account for one-fifth of all work-related illnesses, resulting in an estimated 70 million sick days being taken each year at an estimated annual cost of £70bn - £100bn (source: National Building Specification).
Babbington continues, “We’re choosing to ride our bikes to support Mates in Mind because it’s scientifically proven aerobic exercise can reduce feelings of anxiety and potentially prevent them developing into more concerning disorders such as panic attacks. At the same time, it’s a great social pastime which provides great opportunities to chat and share stories. I’m sure I speak for the whole team when I say we really look forward doing exactly that in a bar in Monaco on Tuesday week!”
The MW Tour of Europe left the start line at 09.30am CET waved off by Stijn Grove and the Dutch Datacentre Association (DDA). It will connect with the German Datacentre Association as it commences it second stage in Frankfurt. The third stage starts in Zurich on Saturday 22nd April. The 1000-mile arrives in Monaco to coincide with the opening of the Datacloud Global Congress on 25th April 2023.
Ride progress can be followed online at mwtourofeurope.dpr.com and donations to support Mates In Mind can be made at the MW Tour of Europe team’s Just Giving page. For more details, please email or call Damien Wells at Spa Communications.