500-mile ride raises £1,700

The Cricket Shropshire chairman undertook the mammoth effort throughout June, taking to the saddle across eight days in his bid to raise crucial funds for Blood Cancer UK and cricket charity Chance to Shine.

Collins’ route on day eight took him to St Georges, Newport, Forton and Albrighton before finishing at Shifnal, where he was met by members of the Shropshire cricket board – a ‘lovely and very unexpected surprise’, he says.

He had to contend with all kinds of weather conditions across the ordeal, including scorching conditions on days one and eight, and whistling wind and driving rain in other legs, which have taken him the length and breadth of the county.

Collins kept track of his progress via blog posts uploaded to www.shropshirecricketboard.co.uk

After completing his final miles, he wrote: “Well that’s it, it really has been a journey; sandwiched in between the really hot days one and eight was all sorts of weather plus lots of miles. It really has been great to see all of our clubs. That’s 500 miles and 54 clubs

“Many many thanks for your donations, I am up to £1,700, which I am chuffed about.”

In his final leg, the chairman noted pitches looking in encouraging condition given the lockdown period that has ravaged the 2020 cricket season.

He had the opportunity to catch up with Newport stalwart and former board chairman Bob Williams, before taking in the new nets at Forton.

Day seven, earlier in the week, had seen plucky Collins tick off clubs in the north west of the county, including Knockin, Oswestry, Cae Glas, Frankton and Ellesmere.

There was the considerable challenge of sweeping rainfall and countless hills in the scenic settings of south Shropshire earlier in Collins’ ordeal – as he took in clubs at Much Wenlock, Chelmarsh, Highley, Cleobury Mortimer, Ludlow and Corvedale.

Collins’ fundraising page remains open for further donations. You can support him at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/acsbigbikeride