A SOUTH Ockendon insurance company will celebrate its 50th anniversary by raising money for a children’s cancer charity.

Staff from South Essex Insurance Brokers will ride the 1,000 miles from John O’Groats to Lands End in aid of CLIC Sargent.

The ride, which takes place from July 12 to 21, has a personal significance to IT manager Andy Davies, whose six-year-old son, Aston, was diagnosed with suspected leukaemia and spent some time at the Royal Marsden Hospital undergoing tests.

He said: “Thankfully Aston is OK, but I saw so many parents and children that were not so lucky.

“I feel strongly about doing this ride to raise money for the CLIC Sargent charity.”

Andy’s father, a keen amateur cyclist, undertook the same ride in 1984. He added: “I was always quite anti-bikes as my father competed at a high level and he was always busy at weekends.

"Then I was persuaded to do the London to Brighton cycle ride with my brother and got hooked.”

The team will regularly updating their progress at www.seib.co.uk/jogle, Facebook at www.facebook.com/seibltd and on Twitter @seib_insurance.

They will also be at Thurrock Garden Centre over the late May Bank Holiday weekend raising funds.

To support them, visit www.justgiving.com/seib-jogle