Around the Pearl riders enter Park Street Mews in completion of their challenge

Working to make a difference in the communities it serves, Mobil Lubricants Sri Lanka, as a part of its ongoing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, has reached out to support “Around the Pearl 2016” (APL) through a donation of 75 wheelchairs.  These wheelchairs will be presented to children affected by cerebral palsy in Sri Lanka.

The Around the Pearl programme takes place for the third consecutive year in partnership with Cerebral Palsy Lanka Foundation to raise funds for the purchase of wheelchairs. APL is a 10-day bicycle ride around the coast of Sri Lanka which commenced on 7 April 2016 with 30 riders covering a distance of 1400 km to support this mission.  This annual challenge was started in 2014 by 12 cycling enthusiasts to help children affected by cerebral palsy and to-date, funds have been raised for over 1,100 wheelchairs which is an initial step towards reaching their goal of 
40,000 wheelchairs.

Cerebral Palsy remains a significant health problem globally. The number of people affected by Cerebral Palsy has increased over time. It is estimated that there are 40,000 children and adults with Cerebral Palsy in Sri Lanka, which is caused by events before, during or after birth. According to Dinesh Jayawardana,

GroupJoint Managing Director, McLarens Holdings, “Around the Pearl is a significant and rewarding initiative that helps to raise awareness about Cerebral Palsy in  Sri Lanka. As done previously, through this project, APL will raise funds for the Cerebral Palsy Lanka Foundation to facilitate the purchase of wheelchairs for children affected by Cerebral Palsy. It is a great honour for us to support this noteworthy initiative that delivers immense value for the community.” Hemantha Varnasooriya, Managing Director of McLarens Lubricants Limited,stated, “Community development is an integral part of our organization. It demonstrates and sustains our commitment to conducting business in a socially and environmentally responsible manner which that stems from our vision, purpose and values of corporate citizenship. By extending our support to such initiatives, we strive to bring positive change to the communities we operate in, creating long term 
social value.”

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