English cricket fan Oli Broom took to the road at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 10 October at the launch of his epic cycle ride to the 2010 Ashes Series. Oli will arrive at The Gabba in Brisbane for the first day’s play having made his way across more than 20 countries, clocking up an incredible 25,000km.
Oli’s 14-month trip has a £100,000 fundraising target for The Lord’s Taverners and the British Neurological Research Trust, which helps a friend of Oli’s who was paralysed in a diving accident.
Oli, who left his job as a Chartered Surveyor at Knight Frank in London to undertake the expedition, will be carrying a replica Ashes urn throughout his trip as well as a Mongoose cricket bat adorned with a Lord’s Taverners bat grip, as used by England Captain Andrew Strauss, Vice Captain (and Young Lord’s Taverners President) Alastair Cook and spinner Graeme Swann. During his epic journey Oli will give cricket coaching sessions and donate Lord’s Taverners cricket kit to disadvantaged youngsters at schools around the world.
Oli said, “It has taken a lot of planning and I’m really pleased that so many people are taking an interest in the challenge and contributing to the very worthy causes of The Lord’s Taverners and BNRT. It has always been a dream of mine to see the Ashes in Australia and I will certainly be hoping that we make it tough for them to win the urn back. It seems a long way off but I thought if I leave now, I might just about make it in time for the first day’s play!”
To sponsor Oli please visit his fundraising website.
You can follow Oli’s progress online at www.cyclingtotheashes.com
Oli at Lord's with a replica Ashes urn, donated by MCC, which he will carry to Australia
Oli at Lord's with his Taverners bat grip
Oli leaves Lord's and is joined on St Johns Wood Road by 14 cycling friends for the first leg
