Bringing together the UK and Dutch licensing communities, as well as other international licensing partners, the group had already raised £50,500 by first thing this morning for The Light Fund and €25,000 for The Children's Hospital in Utrecht.
Nervous participants posed for photos with Miffy, against a backdrop of colourful banners and beach flags sponsored by a wide selection of character-owners and industry partners.
Two pelotons then headed out on the road to Folkestone - the first peloton is aiming for a speed of 16 miles per hour and the slower one at 13 miles per hour. The pace in each is being set by a lead cyclist from Sports Connection, the company managing the ride.
Viacom's Mark Kingston wearing a Sponge-tastic SpongeBob SquarePants cycle jersey by Scimitar Sports. Photo by Ian Downes, @StartLicensing.
One of the group is already nursing an injury - on his last cycle at the weekend, Icon Live's Warren Traeger was hit by a car and knocked off his bike. Although he is still in massive pain and was in a sling until this morning, he is heroically carrying on!
Executives from companies including Nickelodeon, Esdevium Games, Blues Clothing, Icon Live, Gemma, eOne, Trademark Collections, Max Publishing, Corsair, Sanrio, Collective Apparel, CPLG, Manchester City, MSB Accounting, Poetic Gem, Cherokee USA, Artists and Scientists, DRi, Rainbow Designs, Highlight PR, ESP Licensing and NJ Screenprints will all be part of the UK team.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands team will include execs from Mercis, Big Tent USA, World of Delights, Hubregtse, License Connection, Bambolino Toys, De Gele Trui Uitzenders and CPLG Benelux.
The organisers would like to say a huge thank you to the multiple sponsors of the Start and Finish line and the Beach Flags, meaning that, along with the branded jersey, it's going to be a colourful event.
To donate to the charities supported by the Miffy & Friends Charity Cycle Challenge, please visit the following Justgiving pages (or you can sponsor individual participants by visiting their own pages):
The Light Fund:
https://www.justgiving.com/MFCCbikeride/
The Willhelmina Kinderziekenhuis Children's Hospital:
https://justgiving.nl/nl/events/1160-miffy-friends-charity-cycle-challenge-mfccc
You can also sponsor Nickelodeon's Mark Kingston directly at https://www.justgiving.com/Mark-Kingston5/
To keep up with live updates from the group's progress, please visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/MFCCC/1590298317913466
Good luck to everyone taking part in the Miffy And Friends Charity Cycle Challenge!
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