Members of The Furniture Makers’ Company are gearing up for a gruelling 450 mile bike ride to the French wine capital in September to raise money for the industry’s charity.

Twenty-two people have signed up for the London to Bordeaux cycle ride, which has been organised by Ben Burbidge, Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company.

The team will be having a bon voyage breakfast at the Guildhall, London, which has been generously sponsored by Fare of London, before setting off at 8am on Sunday 11 September.

Stopping to sample some fine French cuisine and wine along the way, the peloton will cycle around 78 miles a day in order to reach Bordeaux on Friday 16 September.

All of the riders have set themselves a target to raise a minimum of £1000 each. However, around £10,000 has already been raised through a team cycling jersey, which has been sponsored by Axminster Tools & Machinery, B&Q, Blum, Burbidge Kitchens, the British Furniture Manufacturers'  Association, CD UK, Cabinet Maker, Celtheath, Designer Contracts, Ercol, Furniture Village, KI, Knoll, Lectra, Rotadex, Silentnight and Tangent Furniture.

Master Ben Burbidge said: "This is certainly a very challenging bike ride, but it is for a great cause and one which is very close to all of our hearts. We hope to be waved off by Christine Rigden, one of the Sheriffs of London, and pedal into Bordeaux to a civic reception in the wine-growing capital of France. We would like to thank everyone who has sponsored us so far as we hope to smash our targets.”

The full list of participants are:

• Ben Burbidge, Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company/ Burbidge Kitchens
• Hayden Davies, Junior Warden of The Furniture Makers’ Company
• Brian Ahern
• Michael Ahern
• Lee Andrews, KI
• Tony Attard OBE, Panaz
• Peter Checketts, RHG Insurance Brokers
• Jonathan Hindle, KI
• Peter Hooper
• John Irwin, Tangent Furniture
• Amanda Johnson
• Nigel Johnson
• Stewart Linford
• Graham Marley
• Simon Power-Hynes, KI
• Andrew Purves, Purves & Purves
• Ian Peers, Ercol
• Nicholas Radford, Nathan Furniture
• Edward Tadros, Ercol
• Henry Tadros, Ercol
• Paul von der Heyde
• William White, Rotadex

Thanks for your support!