Fireflies Tour 2025 Sets Off with Soho Launch Party

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The iconic Fireflies Tour, the creative industry’s iconic 1,000km charity cycle ride, returns for its 21st edition this June—promising a classic route, fresh challenges, and the same unwavering commitment to raising funds for blood cancer research.

On 8 June, 33 dedicated riders will embark on an epic eight-day journey from Geneva to Nice, and on to the Cannes Lions Festival. This year’s adventure begins in Aix-Les-Bains, with the peloton tackling the most celebrated climbs of the Tour de France. The tour is fully supported by J&S events, a professional cycle guiding company, ensuring that riders of all experience levels can train for and complete this once-in-a-lifetime challenge.

Since its founding in 2001 by Sandy Watson Scott and Ridley Scott Films, when five ad industry friends decided to cycle from London to Cannes, the Fireflies Tour has united hundreds of creative professionals from agencies, production companies, and beyond. Together, they have raised over £2.3 million for blood cancer research, riding in honour of those battling the disease and inspired by their courage.

Inspired by the courage it takes to fight cancer, The Fireflies is a celebration of life, love and friendship. Bicycles are involved, but so are tears, laughter, mountains, ice-creams, reggae music and uncommon amounts of joy.

To mark the start of this year’s tour, All Is Joy Studios in Soho will host the official launch party on Wednesday, 28 May at 6:30pm (75 Dean Street, W1).

Join us to celebrate the 2025 riders, meet previous participants, and learn more about this year’s charity partners. New applicants and sponsors are warmly encouraged to attend, connect with the Fireflies community, and discover how they can support this extraordinary cause.

Drinks on the night will be sponsored by Ginger Ink Films of Africa

Tour Dates: 8–15 June 2025

This year, the Fireflies are proud to support London-based Blood Fund https://www.imperialcharity.org.uk/support-us/Our-appeals/the-blood-fund.

Blood Fund has three main objectives: supporting specialist nurses to improve patient experience, funding staff for labour-intensive clinical trials, and providing financial backing for young researchers conducting preliminary work that can lead to larger funding opportunities. Their latest advances include offering gene editing and stem cell transplants for sickle cell disease patients in 2025, potentially transforming this debilitating condition and improving quality of life for sufferers. This year they will also start more than 10 additional studies of novel drugs in blood diseases, offering new treatments to patients who have exhausted other possibilities. Your donation will help fund this lifesaving research and treatment. 

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About the Fireflies Tour

Founded in 2001 by Sandy Watson Scott and Ridley Scott Films, the Fireflies Tour has grown to become an annual charity cycling event for the creative industries, raising vital funds for blood cancer research. Each year, riders conquer some of cycling’s most challenging routes, inspired by the bravery of those fighting cancer.

Interested in committing to a hugely rewarding experience, funding life-saving research for cancer, meeting a community of like-minded people and making friends for life? Get in touch with the team below or apply for a saddle via ride Producer Hannah Needham or Chris Page. 

[email protected] / [email protected]  

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Why is it called the Fireflies ride? 

On one fateful night the original group was caught on Col de Turini facing a descent in pitch darkness. Without lights or support vehicles, they began their descent when an apparent miracle occurred: thousands of Fireflies, which had been absorbing the sun’s heat on the tarmac, rose as one and escorted the riders safely down the mountain. The “Fireflies” were born that night, and they went on to encapsulate their purpose further via their motto: “For those who suffer we ride.”  

Since that initial ride, the Fireflies Tour has raised £2.3 million in the UK for Blood Cancer Research in the UK and spawned a global movement, with annual rides in California and Patagonia and previous tours in Australia, New Zealand and New York, all of which raise money to help find the cure for Blood Cancer. 

Quotes from previous riders: 

“Incredible. Everyone had a powerful reason for being there and it connected us all on a deeply emotional level, like I’ve never experienced before or since. The most rewarding thing I have ever done.” 

“Unrivalled experience. Every Firefly is now a friend for life” 

“The people you ride with were definitely what made it so special, but then on top of that you have the scenery, the ability to watch professional cycling and know that you have also been over those same iconic roads.” 

“It showed me about the good in people you had just met. The feeling of personal betterment and the pride in achieving something extraordinary both for you and those you are trying to help.” 

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For press enquiries, interviews, or further information, please contact:

PR contacts:  Chris Page, Founder Jelly  [email protected] /  

Hannah Needham [email protected]