ASHES WINNERS JOIN BIG BIKE RIDE 2 Four members of England’s 2005 Ashes-winning side will be getting on their bikes later this year to raise money for the Professional Cricketers’ Association Professional Cricketers’ Trust and the Tom Maynard Trust. Michael Vaughan, who captained England to Ashes glory 10 years ago, Andrew Flintoff, Marcus Trescothick and Steve Harmison will be among 60 riders who will cycle from Truro in Cornwall to the Kia Oval over five days in the Big Bike Ride 2. The Ashes heroes will be joined by past and present county players including Kent captain Rob Key, Essex all-rounder Graham Napier, Middlesex’s England Lions seamer James Harris, Gloucestershire’s former New Zealand batsman Hamish Marshall, Surrey pair Gareth Batty and Stuart Meaker, both England internationals, and Glamorgan wicketkeeper and PCA chairman Mark Wallace. Matthew Maynard, the father of the late Tom Maynard, Jason Ratcliffe, the PCA assistant chief executive, Surrey chairman Richard Thompson and Richard Gould, the Surrey chief executive, will also be taking part in all legs of the five-day ride. The first Big Bike Ride in 2013 raised more than £ 200,000 for the PCA Professional Cricketers’ Trust and Tom Maynard Trust and another six-figure sum in sponsorship is the target for this year’s event.”Big Bike Ride 1 in 2013 was an incredible experience for us all. The ride was really tough, but the camaraderie was inspiring and the fundraising end result was beyond expectations,” said Jason Ratcliffe, assistant chief executive of the PCA. “To have another full house of riders for all five days including 30 current and past members demonstrates an incredibly strong commitment to help our two valuable charities” The ride will cover around 400 miles with the first leg from Truro to Instow in Devon on October 9. The following day the riders will cycle from Instow to Somerset CCC’s headquarters at Taunton followed by legs from Taunton to Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl on October 11, the Ageas Bowl to Sussex’s TheBrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground at Hove on October 12 ending with the final leg from Hove to the Kia Oval on October 13. 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 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 following Tom’s tragic death. Its initial objectives were to try 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: https://www.thepca.co.uk/big-bike-ride-2.html ENDS Note – The ride for all 5 days is now full, although it is possible to join as day riders on each leg. For more information or to put your name down on the reserve list, or to register for any leg, contact Aprosser@thepca.co.uk For more information about the PCA Professional Cricketers’ Trust go to www.thepca.co.uk/index.php?q=benevolent_fund.html About the PCA The PCA act as the collective and representative voice of the first class cricketers in England and Wales, safeguarding the rights of both present and past first class cricketers, whilst providing and improving the welfare of its members in the following key areas Cricket Personal development and welfare Insurance Legal Financial Benevolence Healthcare For more information contact David Leatherdale on 07990558681 or email dleatherdale@thepca.co.uk {{ak_sharing}}
