I am currently undertaking an organic horticultural apprenticeship at Coleshill Organics, Oxfordshire. I was inspired to embark on this ride as I feel passionate about my work and desire to raise awareness and funding for such skill giving schemes enabling young people access to careers on the land.

The apprenticeship scheme offers young people a formal practical training and was created by a group of committed growers in conjunction with the Soil Association, all of whom were disturbed by the lack of young people entering agriculture and horticulture. Though I myself grew up on an organic farm, it took me a long time to even consider embarking on a career in this field. Read more...

I own my own business on the Isles of Scilly, Scilly Organics, where I grow organic fruit and vegetables for direct local sale. My business is all about producing food with a low ecological impact; food miles are very low, fossil fuel inputs are minimised, wildlife is encouraged, the local economy is supported and carbon is sequestered in the soil through the organic management of the land.

I've been a keen cyclist from an early age, always using my bike as my preferred means of transport. I have always wanted to do Land's End to John O' Groats (LEJOG) route, but also have  some very personal as well as wider reasons for wishing to do the ride. Read more...

In The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck a family take a journey East to West across America. Almost at cycle speed in fact, and certainly slow enough to see some of the passing of the seasons and feel the wind grow cold on the ascent to the mountains and feel the wind cold again with the coming of the winter.

It would be lovely to see my own place in this way. They have come from the corn farming mid-west to look for work in the peach orchards and cotton fields of California and all the time they know like a second nature, with a deft hand, what is is to use a hand plough as if it is a part of themselves. I suppose there are lots of people in Britain today who have this closeness to the land and to producing food. I hope to see a little of this on our trip. Read more...

I am raising money for the Apprenticeship scheme and Atlantic College. Click here to read more.

I am raising money for Practical Action and the World Land Trust. Click here to read more and donate.

I am raising money for Atlantic College. Click here to read more and donate.