Hundreds of generous agents have been devoting their time to raise tens of thousands of pounds for charity.

More than 270 Countrywide staff members took part in a cycling challenge, raising over £35,000 for six national charities and a number of local ones.

The Countrywide Great Tour is a 64-day, 6,800km cycle challenge around the coast of Britain starting and ending in Holyhead, Anglesey. Supported by Countrywide, the event was held in tandem with CTC, the national cycling charity.

The tour raised much-needed funds for CTC, the Alzheimer’s Society, Macmillan Cancer Support, Leukaemia & Lymphona Research, Anthony Nolan and Action For A-T.

James Dowling, an employee of Countrywide who raised over £2,700, was chosen as the tour’s ambassador and successfully cycled the entire route.

He said: “The tour really made me appreciate what a wonderful coastline Britain has. Also it was a fantastic opportunity to raise money for some very worthy charities and everyone’s generosity kept me going through the damp cold weather that we had.”

Elsewhere around 150 members of the Bedfordshire community helped estate agents from Country Properties in Flitwick raise over £7,500 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Local people joined staff from the agency, including director Duane Savage and his wife Lorraine, who organised the event, by dressing in pink for what they called The Big Pink Party, held at The White Hart pub in Flitton.

Christine Matthews, from Country Properties, said the firm had hoped to raise £5,000, but a combination of an excellent turnout paying an admission charge and generous auction bids helped them beat their target by a distance.

She said: “We didn’t expect to raise that amount of money and we would like to thank everyone who attended.

“Cancer Research is obviously a charity close to most people’s hearts for one reason or another and that’s why we wanted to raise money for them.

“Thanks also to Phil Hale at The White Hart in Flitton and to Paul Meads at UK Events & Tents for providing the marquee.”

Auction prizes included four tickets in a box at Tottenham Hotspur, which raised £1,500 alone.

In all the event raised £7640.36, which will be added to the total raised through fundraising events across the Country Properties network.

Chloe Coombs, regional fundraising manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “Macmillan would like to say a huge thank you to everyone at the Country Properties Flitwick.

“We are so grateful to everyone who took part in the fundraising as this money really does help so many people and their families affected by cancer.

“As an example this money could keep a typical Macmillan information and support centre stocked with all the information resources it needs to support people affected by cancer for more than two years.

“These resources would include booklets, guides, directories and leaflets.”

Last year Country Properties raised more than £40,000 for Macmillan.