Wandsworth News

Wandsworth-based businessman helps raise £5k for orphans in Romania

By Ian Mason

7:00am Thursday 2nd September 2010

A businessman helped raise more than £5,000 for charity by taking on a gruelling 1,000-mile bike ride from London to Romania.

Bogdan Cristea, originally from Romania but now living in Wandsworth, was part of a five-strong team of cyclists who embarked on the 18-day journey to help fund the refurbishment of a mother and child centre and an art therapy programme for children in an orphanage based in Timisoara, Romania.

Mr Cristea, a business owner at sales company Amway, was inspired to help after watching a British documentary which exposed the suffering some children experience in the Romanian care system.

He said: “This type of documentary is never televised in Romania so I was unaware until I came to London.

“I was so full of despair for these children that I decided to try to make a difference. I grew up in Arad, which is not far from Timisoara where there is a refuge centre and orphanage.

“The money we have raised will help fund the expansion of a mother and child centre for victims of abuse or neglect who have nowhere else to go.”

The cyclists were welcomed into Timisoara, Romania by more than 100 people and were congratulated with a special gala dinner to celebrate their achievements earlier this month.

For more information about Amway, which donated £1,000 to the fundraising ride, visit amway.co.uk or call 01908 629400.

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