The Kent FA is supporting the Tour de Kent, a charity cycle ride that will visit senior football grounds in Kent on the May bank holiday weekend to raise money for cardiac charities.

The ride is a 3-day sportive recognised by British Cycling that will start at Gillingham FC’s Priestfield Stadium and tour the county visiting Margate, Deal, Dover, Maidstone, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks and Dartford as well as several other football grounds on the way.

The heart charities benefitting from the funds raised are CRY, a youth cardiac research charity, and Take Heart Mercy Mission.

The event has been organised by Roger Maddams, a cycling enthusiast with a special connection to the beneficiary charities.

Roger’s son Jack was a talented football player with Gillingham FC, Kent Schools, and England Schoolboys as well as Kent senior club Tonbridge Angels who died of a sudden heart attack in 2008.

In addition to a football career that saw Jack play alongside Manchester United’s Chris Smalling in the England ranks, Jack was a talented artist and following his death his work was exhibited at the Saatchi gallery in London.

The Jack Maddams stand at Tonbridge Angels is named in tribute to their former player.

Five years on, Roger has organised the Tour de Kent to combine his two passions, cycling and football, to raise money for cardiac research and interventions for young people.

The Tour de Kent takes place on the 25th – 27th May 2013 with three participation options; ‘The First Leg’, a pleasant 15-mile ride from Gillingham FC’s Priestfield Stadium to Sittingbourne; ‘The Full Day’, a ride from Gillingham along the north Kent coast through to Margate visiting 6 football grounds on the way, or ‘The Lot!’, a 200-mile round trip visiting 21 football grounds in total.

‘The Lot!’ continues from day one with a Margate to Maidstone leg taking in Deal and Dover before a final day’s ride through the Weald of Kent around Sevenoaks, up to Dartford then returning to Gillingham. Overnight stays in Margate and Maidstone are included in the full 3-day event.

Roger has been promoting the tour around football grounds in Kent with bucket collections at matches throughout March and April and there are limited places left on the ride.

The ride has the full sportive backup: signage, GPX, medical, outrider, mechanical, food stop and baggage transport services will be on offer to those who sign up for the British Cycling supported ride at www.tourdekent13.co.uk

The ride even has its own flapjack, made by Kent based small business Jackernuts, and official cycling jersey from Foska. Medway Council are supporting the ride as part of Medway’s 2013 Festival of Sport’.

Ride organiser Roger Maddams said: “The event, as with many great ideas, started over a drink at a party, this time with (former) Gillingham FC Development Coach Mark Patterson. We both discovered we liked cycling, football and good times so the initial idea was for a few friends to ride round a few football grounds and raise a few pounds for charity.”

“I thought about it, got the maps out, got to work and now we have a full blown event that will attract at least 300 riders including 110 on the 3 day stage option. The aim is to have that great time, the great camaraderie and sense of achievement and to raise tens of thousands for the charities”.

You can support the Tour de Kent in several ways; the easiest way to donate is by texting KENT53 and the amount you wish to donate, including the £ sign, to 70070 (e.g KENT53 £10 to 70070).

You can also donate online at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/tourdekent13

Full details of the ride including registration & accommodation fees can be found at www.tourdekent13.co.uk

Ride numbers are strictly limited for the 3 day option, due to hotel room numbers available at the overnight stop destinations of Margate and Maidstone.