Builders’ merchant Jewson is welcoming riders in its sixth annual Tour de Jewson charity bike ride, which sees the company’s employees, customers and suppliers come together to raise money for charity.

The Tour de Jewson will launch on 23 September, with riders tackling up to 12 routes to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK and National Air Ambulance.

This year’s event will also feature a special day of fundraising on 30 September, where participants will ride in memory of Rod Leigh, a former, much-loved, Jewson employee who sadly passed away suddenly in June this year. The money raised from the Ride for Rod event will go towards purchasing community defibrillators.

Mark Rayfield, CEO at Jewson, said: “As a business, we’re committed to supporting charities of all shapes and sizes, especially those that are close to the hearts of our employees and their families.

“The planned challenges are by no means easy, but the devotion of the teams involved in each one makes all of the hard work worthwhile.”

The event is part of a wider commitment from Jewson to support local charities across the UK, alongside its charity partners for 2016, Alzheimer’s Research UK, the UK’s leading dementia charity, and SANE, a specialist national mental health charity.