I am riding from London to Paris with my son, Sam, as part of a 24-man team, in aid of Hospitality Action. Sam, who works at Michelin starred restaurant L’Ortolan, is riding with his boss, executive chef Alan Murchison of BBC 2’s The Great British Menu. I am taking the opportunity to spend some time with Sam and ride into Tour de France territory, whilst raising money for chefs and caterers who have fallen on very hard times.

Sam says, “ The challenge of riding with my boss, raising money and pushing on to Paris is a tough one. 300 miles in 3 days is no joke, but I am looking forward to it. I have spent hours risking life and limb on my bike around Reading in training and am hoping for some quieter roads.”

For my part, I am looking forward to the sporting challenge and doing my favourite pastime for a worthy cause. Many of the cyclists taking part are very good riders, so the pace will be high and each day very tough. However, I will be surrounded by chefs, so the pit stops should be good with some interesting items on the menu!”

If you would like to support us, without having to sit on a razor sharp saddle alongside us, please donate.

All the proceeds of the ride go to Hospitality Action. The team has set an ambitious goal of raising £26,000 for the ride – let’s hope we make it in every sense!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.