A team of cyclists led by Darren Ridge, founder of Onecom, Onestream and WeBuyAnyPhone.com, raised over £30,000 in a sponsored bike ride to support young people at his former school.
A group of friends and colleagues rode from Ridge’s business headquarters in Whiteley to Havant Academy in Leigh Park, Havant.
The event exceeded its initial £20,000 target and funds raised will purchase a Cubbie unit – a multi-sensory space that can support students to reduce anxiety and encourages participation and prepare them for learning.
The Academy has a large proportion of students who will benefit from this technology.
A former pupil at the Academy when it was known as Wakeford Comprehensive School, Ridge went on to found business telecoms provider Onecom.
He and Onecom co-founder Aaron Brown’s company Ridown invest in technology businesses including Onestream and WeBuyAnyPhone.com
The Ridge Foundation was founded by Ridge to help children and young people from challenging backgrounds to reach their full potential.
Headteacher Vicki Dillon-Thiselton concluded: “Thanks to this donation we will be able to fund technology which will greatly improve the lives of some of our young people, and support them in their studies.”