Formula One racing team McLaren has donated an accessible rickshaw to The One Show for its annual fundraising effort for BBC Children In Need.
The bright yellow vehicle, which was designed and built by the team at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, features pictures of the charity’s mascot Pudsey Bear.
This year’s rickshaw challenge will see six young people who have each received support from Children In Need-funded projects, cycle 423 miles over eight days.
The vehicle’s design incorporates new braking mounts, drive-trains and interchangeable seat posts to make them as accessible as possible for the children involved.
Jonathan Neale, chief operating officer of McLaren Group, said his engineers had thrown their “heart and souls” into designing “well-engineered and accessible” rickshaws.
The group will be joined by The One Show co-presenter Matt Baker and, for the first time, the race will start outside the UK.
The team kicks off in Calais, France on November 9 before cycling 31 miles through the service tunnel of the Channel Tunnel.
McLaren is delighted to support @BBCCIN for the 2018 Rickshaw Challenge. The annual challenge sees six inspiring young people take on a gruelling 400 mile cycle ride to change children's lives. Read more: https://t.co/AEeLjeLTdh #CiN pic.twitter.com/A87LGcAhtp
— McLaren Group (@McLarenGroup) October 10, 2018
The group will then head to Folkestone and across England and Wales before finishing in Salford, Greater Manchester, on November 16 during the Children In Need appeal show.
The team cycling the route includes Abby, 16, from London who has non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and has been supported by the charity Teens Unite, which provides motivational workshops to children.
Also on the trail is Harry, 17, from Portsmouth who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and Worster-Drought syndrome which affects his facial muscles.
He has been supported by Friends and Families of Special Children which provides support to disabled children and their families.
Ahead of the challenge, Baker said: “This is the eighth year that we’ll be heading out on the roads with the Rickshaw Challenge and I can’t wait to get back in the saddle alongside six truly inspirational young people.
“Every year the support that we get never ceases to amaze me, it’s fantastic to see how people from all across the UK get behind the challenge and I’m looking forward to seeing all those friendly faces willing us on again this year, and helping us to raise so much money for a charity which is incredibly close to my heart.”
His co-host Alex Jones added: “The Rickshaw Challenge is a chance for our viewers to really see how funding from BBC Children in Need is making a difference to young people’s lives.
“It’s one of the highlights of our year at The One Show, and I can’t wait to cheer on the team as they conquer another epic journey across the country on the rickshaw.”
The team’s progress will be broadcast live on The One Show throughout the week.