A cricket-mad podcaster from Ravenshead is taking on the inspirational challenge of walking to every Ashes Test match to raise money for the Lord’s Taverners.

Woodstock Cricket managing director Johnno Gordon, 40, and ‘Slogging It’ co-hosts Simon Roberts and Eugene Berger will be walking between all five grounds this summer.

The challenge began this Monday, with the trio heading off from Lord’s Taverners headquarters in Chancery Lane, London, aiming to make it to Edgbaston, Birmingham, by the time the First Test starts on Friday.

They will then embark on a gruelling route that will take them from Birmingham to London – Lord’s – London to Leeds – Headingley – Leeds to Manchester – Old Trafford – then Manchester back to London for the final match at the Oval at the end of July.

Having initially started their podcast to encourage people to talk about cricket and their mental health, the trio realised they could make an invaluable difference and raise vital funds.

Gordon said: “Originally Lord’s Taverners CEO Mark Curtin and I were talking about a challenge we could do together, and the first idea was RideLondon.

“The three of us and Mark were thinking about doing it on tandems. We couldn’t get hold of tandems and we couldn’t get the places, so we replaced that with this. It was Simon’s idea about walking between all the Ashes venues and hopefully watching a bit of cricket!

“We’ve had great support. We had a guard of honour from the office when we set out, which was quite surreal for us. We all felt a bit bashful, but everyone at the Lord’s Taverners has been brilliant in getting behind us, offering any support we need.”

The Lord’s Taverners impacts the lives of young people facing the challenges of inequality.

The charity works across the UK and beyond to provide inclusive and impactful cricket programmes, empowering young people with disabilities and from disadvantaged communities.

The trio are taking on the challenge to support the charity’s work to positively impact the lives of young people facing the challenges of inequality.

Gordon added: “I’ve been a Taverner for the best part of ten years now and through the podcast we’ve got Eugene and Simon involved.

“I’ve just loved the charity ever since I’ve got involved. We get to go to some nice events, but it’s very much about spreading the love of the game we have to then bring funds in that aid not only the four brilliant programmes they run, but the kids that they directly help off the back of it.

“The whole ethos of the Tavs is about empowering people through cricket – it really focuses on helping young disadvantaged people.

“I’m incredibly proud to be a Taverner and incredibly proud to be doing this walk in aid of the Taverners.

“The idea is if we can raise £250,000 that is something we can be very proud of, but with the majority of that money going to Tavs we can really help empower those young people through cricket.

“It’s something that the three of us are very passionate about.”

To make a donation to the Walk The Ashes Challenge, click here