Cyclists raise £30,000 for sensory equipment at entrepreneur’s former school with charity bike ride in support of The Ridge Foundation

A group of Darren’s colleagues and friends rode from his business headquarters in Whiteley to Havant Academy in Leigh Park, Havant. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, the event smashed its initial £20,000 target.

The riders were given a send-off by former Southampton football star Matt Le Tissier, and greeted by Pompey player Matt Ritchie when they returned from the 30-mile round trip.

The funds raised will purchase a Cubbie unit – an immersive 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.

Darren was a pupil at the Academy when it was known as Wakeford Comprehensive School, and went on to found business communications specialist Onecom. He and co-founder Aaron Brown’s company Ridown invest in technology businesses including broadband provider Onestream and device recycling specialist WeBuyAnyPhone.

The Ridge Foundation was founded by Darren, and inspired by his own experiences, to help children and young people from challenging backgrounds to reach their full potential.

Darren said: “Every time I have revisited my former school, I have seen first-hand the challenges young people and their teachers face every day, and also how they achieve extraordinary things together.

“I would like to thank Matt Le Tissier, Matt Ritchie, all the riders, and all the sponsors who helped fund technology which will make a real difference to the wellbeing of students at the Academy.”

Headteacher Vicki Dillon-Thiselton said: “Our school has a high level of need, both in terms of the levels of deprivation of the children who come into the school, and their social, emotional, and mental health concerns.

“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. We are very grateful to everyone who took part in the ride, all who sponsored, and to Darren for his ongoing support for our school.”

The Ridge Foundation previously donated £30,000 to create The Ridge Centre at Havant Academy, which is fitted with technology to support students who find it hard to work in a classroom environment, and continues to support the school with a range of projects.

Find out more about the foundation’s work at www.theridgefoundation.com

Pictured: Darren Ridge (centre) with Matt Le Tissier and the cycling team at Ridown headquarters in Whiteley.