BIG BIKE RIDE 2 – A HUGE SUCCESS

BIG BIKE RIDE 2 – A HUGE SUCCESS! Jason Ratcliffe, the Assistant Chief Executive of the Professional Cricketers’ Association, has praised the efforts of the 70-plus riders who completed Big Bike Ride 2 and raised a significant six figure sum for the PCA Professional Cricketers’ Trust, sponsored by Royal London, and the Tom Maynard Trust. The ride began in Truro last Friday and ended at the Kia Oval yesterday after five gruelling stages which included two days of punishing hill climbing in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset and a 100 mile leg from Somerset’s Taunton headquarters to Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl. More than £ 100,000 has so far been raised for the two cricket charities by riders who included 2005 Ashes winners Marcus Trescothick and Geraint Jones, Darren Gough, Hamish Marshall, Surrey pair Gareth Batty and Stuart Meaker, Kent and England batsman Rob Key, Middlesex and England Lions seamer James Harris, Kent all-rounder Matt Coles, England Women internationals Lydia Greenway, Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont and supermodel and television presenter Jodie Kidd. “Many thanks to everybody in involved at every stage. The whole event has required help on a number levels with organisation from health and safety, to route planning, mechanical support, luggage couriering, multiple hotel accommodation plans to food and drink provision,” said Ratcliffe. ” Needless to say, all of this takes a lot of time and planning. It all lays the foundations for the event to work and support the multiple riders, who have given up their time to train, given up their allocated holidays from work, spent time away from loved ones over a weekend, raised significant monies from friends and colleagues and also spent their own money on bike equipment and travel. ” We’ve raised significant money that will be vital for the work we do within both charities. “It’s an enormous collective effort and we ‎are hugely appreciative of each and every person involved at every level. Many many thanks.” Kidd, who joined the peloton for the last two days of BBR2, was keen to support the two cricket charities after being made aware of the event by her manager Richard Thompson, the Surrey Chairman who rode every mile of the journey. ” It has been tough, it really has, but everyone has stuck together they have supported each other and it has just been a really, really cool bike ride,” Kidd said ” I have done a few bike rides but not one where there is such a great bond between wonderful people for such wonderful causes.” ” I love doing bike riding and I thought it would be a wonderful thing to support and come out and do a massive challenge.” ” I was very surprised how tough it was. Normally when you do charity bike rides they are not so tough.” ” There were some tough climbs, long hours in the saddle and long distances covered. The riders really work for the money they have raised.” The arrival at the Kia Oval, where Surrey put on a champagne reception for the BBR2 riders and support team, was an emotional one for Matthew Maynard, the Somerset Director of Cricket, who set up the Tom Maynard Trust following the tragic death of his son in 2012, the efforts and commitment of the Big Ride 2 riders were an inspiration. ” I am going to be proud of my Big Ride 2 jacket just because it reminds me of this achievement. When I think: ‘I can’t get up the hill’ I will remember that I did it for five days on this ride,” he said ” It’s hard work but we have a few drinks at night, chat to each other and get to know each other in a social environment. I love doing that.” The BBR2 riders were given a warm welcome on arrival at the County Grounds of Somerset, Hampshire, Sussex and Surrey and superbly hosted by local clubs across the south of England at Lanhydrock, Holsworthy, North Devon, Sparkford, Sutton Veny and Wivelsfield Green, who sustained them with delicious breakfasts, lunches and teas. ” It was cricket coming together. Of the 60-plus people riding bikes on this trip it was great to have three people from the ECB there to get to know players, administrators and other areas of the game. It’s really important that we do that,” said former Northamptonshire opener Alan Fordham, one of three England and Wales Cricket Board staff on the ride. ” I am really conscious it doesn’t happen at my desk or any of our desks. It happens out on the field whether it’s at grassroots, first class or Test level. We do it for them but it’s nice to get out and see some of the people we are working for.” The links with community cricket clubs brought a new dimension to BBR2 for Thompson, who also completed the first ride in 2013. ” The Tom Maynard Trust and the PCA Professional Cricketers’ Trust mean a huge amount to me and the club. The whole thing has been incredibly unifying from that small club in Cornwall where the kids turned out on the first morning from going from Somerset, Hampshire, Sussex to Surrey to all those clubs who supported us with breakfast lunch and teas. ” I can’t think of another sport that brings people together in that way. It has been extraordinary.” The PCA Professional Cricketers’ Trust 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 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 {{ak_sharing}}