A BRIDGWATER father has taken part in a 324-mile charity cycle ride alongside Somerset cricket legend Marcus Trescothick in aid of Children’s Hospice South West.

Kevin Morris rode alongside Trescothick as part of a group who cycled from Keynsham Cricket Club, where Trescothick grew up, to the Little Harbour Hospice in St Austell.

The ride began under blue skies on October 8 and the group clocked an average of 65 miles a day despite the strong winds which interrupted their progress as the trip went on.

When high winds forced them off the road on Friday morning, they completed their miles at Plymouth’s Nuffield Gym.

The ride was part of Trescothick’s testimonial year and was particularly poignant for Morris, whose son Finley is one of just 70 children in the world known to have a rare genetic condition known as Sodium Channel Brain Disorder, or SCN2A. 

It means he is unable to sit up, walk, talk, eat or drink unaided, and he needs constant, 24-hour care.

The condition has also left him with uncontrollable epilepsy and very poor eyesight.

Kevin Morris and Louise Jackson, Finley’s mum, receive 12 nights of respite every year at CHSW’s Charlton Farm hospice, along with Finley’s younger brother Jett. 

Louise said: “It’s hard to put into words just how much the hospice helps Finley. With his condition we experience a life with so many obstacles but there are no limits as to what Finley can do at the hospice. 

“It’s like a wonderland for children; everything is a ‘yes’.

“The hospice gives us that time together as a family and creates so many memories that we can treasure for ever.

“It is there for us 24-7 and when the time comes for Finley, it will be supporting us through what will be the darkest moments of our lives.”
Trescothick, who is no stranger to charity cycle rides and undertook a similar challenge for CHSW in 2011, said: “It’s been a tough week and sometimes I really had to remind myself of the special reason we were taking on this challenge. 

“It was exhausting, and we encountered lots of hills along the way, however it is nothing compared to what some families go through, so knowing we are helping CHSW made it all worth it.”