On the 9th October North Devon Cricket Club were priveliged to be the host for the first stop of PCA Big Bike Ride 2, raising money for the Professional Cricketers’ Association Benevolent Fund and the Tom Maynard Trust.
The ride started in Truro on Friday morning and reached Instow in the middle of the afternoon. On day two, the riders will travel 60 miles from Instow to the County Ground in Taunton, eventually finishing up at the Kia Oval.
The evning was a great succes with over 170 people attending. £6,000 was raised on the night to be split between the PCA Benevolent Fund, Tom Maynard Trust, David Shepherd Cricket Trust and NDCC.
Our very own Chairman, Mark Ansell, was lucky enough to ride the first stage from Truro to Instow. Mark has provided a few comments; “NDCC were honoured to be chosen by the PCA as the first night destination on their 5 day BBR2 charity cycle ride from Truro to the Kia Oval. After being persuaded to join the cycle ride on day 1 in a moment of madness, I found myself being swept along in the peleton as we rode the 90 miles from Truro to NDCC. After setting off at 715am in the murky light of dawn, it was a great experience, with Geraint Jones (England wicketkeeper from the 2005 Ashes Series) being the mobile DJ on his bike playing inspirational music through a speaker strapped to his bike as we puffed up the steep climb over Bodmin Moor and great hospitality from Lanhydrock CC and Holsworthy CC at the two pit stops on the way, then being clapped onto the ground at NDCC when we eventually arrived at 5pm was a great moment.
The dinner in the evening was a triumph of team work from lots of NDCC people and I think the club can feel a great sense of achievement in that we gave 170 people a great night, as well as raising £6,000 for the four good causes”
