The final leg of Big Bike Ride 2 is now underway as the 70 riders complete the 400-mile journey to The Oval raising money for the PCA Benevolent Fund and Tom Maynard Trust.
The bike ride, which started in Truro on Friday featured three past Ashes winners along with Glamorgan wicket-keeper batsman Mark Wallace and former players Ian Thomas, Dan Cherry and Mike Reed.
Wallace took part in the first three days of Big Bike Ride 2 which covered around 250 miles with legs from Truro to Instow in North Devon, Instow to Taunton and a 100-mile ride from Somerset's Taunton headquarters to the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.
It was great to be a part of Big Bike Ride 2 said Wallace. It was tough work at times but totally worth it for the two fantastic charities being supported.
As PCA Chairman, I know the great work that the PCA Benevolent Fund does to support players past and present should life take an unfortunate turn.
The Tom Maynard Trust continues to grow and it's great that Tom's name lives on in helping talented young sportsmen and women on their way towards realising their ambitions.
Thanks to everyone for supporting myself and the other Glamorgan representatives, Ian Williams, Dan Cherry and Ian Thomas in raising sponsorship for the ride.
Also on the ride was Darren Gough who proved a big hit with youngsters at the community cricket clubs that the BBR2 riders stopped off at along the way including Lanhydrock in Cornwall, Holsworthy and North Devon in Devon, Sparkford in Somerset and Sutton Veny in Wiltshire.
The turnout at local clubs has been excellent, Gough said. We've signed lots of autographs for the kids and everyone has made us feel welcome. They have put on lovely lunches and traditional cricket teas. You don't get them anymore. We've really enjoyed and appreciated it. We've got some hungry riders on this trip and they have really tucked in.
On BBR2 Gough also renewed friendships with former Yorkshire team mates Alex Morris, Gareth Batty, Mathew Wood and Gavin Hamilton.
Some of these guys I played with at Yorkshire when they were coming through. Some of the stories we were telling on the way round on the bikes were hilarious, Gough said.
It brings back so many memories. It makes you feel young again.
There are lots of ex-cricketers I have met on this ride. It's been great to catch up with them. When you are retired from playing you don't really see these guys unless you go to a dinner. So to spend three or four days with them doing this event has been fantastic.
Jodie Kidd, the fashion model and television personality, joined the BBR2 riders for the last two legs from Southampton to the BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground in Hove on Monday October 12 and from Hove to the Kia Oval on Tuesday October 13.
She has joined two members of England's 2005 Ashes-winning side in Marcus Trescothick and Geraint Jones on BBR2 along with Kent and England batsman Rob Key and past and present county players including Ali Brown, Stuart Meaker David Griffiths (Kent), Alex Morris (Yorkshire and Hampshire), Charlie Mulraine (Warwickshire), Graham Napier (Essex), Matt Coles (Kent), Jaik Mickleburgh (Essex), Jason Ratcliffe (Surrey), Ian Saxelby (Gloucestershire), David Wigley (Northamptonshire), Ian Thomas (Glamorgan), Tim O'Gorman (Derbyshire), Dan Cherry (Glamorgan), Michael Reed (Glamorgan), James Harris (Middlesex), Alan Fordham (Northamptonshire), and Glamorgan wicketkeeper Mark Wallace, the PCA chairman.
The PCA Benevolent Fund is part of the Association's commitment to helping current and former players and their dependants in times of hardship and upheaval to readjust to the world beyond the game.
The Fund also supports players and their dependants who might be in need of a helping hand with medical advice, a much-needed operation or those who require specialist advice, care or assistance.
The Tom Maynard Trust was set up in the summer of 2012 with the initial objectives of trying to provide low level financial support for young cricketers making their way in the game.
This has now been expanded to include grants for aspiring young sports people looking for support with different aspects of their career development, education and awareness programmes, the Tom Maynard Academy at the Desert Springs complex in Southern Spain where up to 14 emerging county cricketers will benefit from specialist technical and conditioning work and a scholarship at his old school, Millfield School.
To support and donate to Big Bike Ride 2 go to:
https://mydonate.bt.com/events/bbr2pcabftmt/193332
For more information go to:
http://www.thepca.co.uk/big-bike-ride-2.html