The preparation for the bike ride in May is moving forward and I am really looking forward to setting off now. The 28th May has been confirmed as the date we will be leaving on and as far as we can we are now trying to work out exactly when we will be arriving at the different venues.

We are hoping to secure sponsorship from HM Plant, a company run by John Jones. HM Plant are the leading company in new excavator sales and are based in Hebburn, Newcastle. John and the ride team are in talks about how we can secure the sponsorship deal which will take me a long way down the road of reaching my £40,000 goal for Just for Kids.

Hilton have pledge their support for the ride. They have come on board as a secondary sponsor. Not only have they kindly donated all of the accommodation for the ride, but they have also donated a rider! Guy Hilton, GM of the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead, has said he will ride the full journey to keep me company. He has done a good deal of cycling and I am hoping to use some of his experience to help me through the gruelling hills of the Pennines! He is already training and has taken his bike out this weekend for a few rides - slightly worrying as I am not going to be do any training properly for 10 days or so.

RP Martin, a broking firm in London, have also pledged a good sum of money which we are very grateful for. I have visited the broking offices and the lads in there are great guys who have shown their generosity by sponsoring us for the ride. I am going to go down to see them in London after the rugby season finishes to say thanks properly.

If you are on Facebook then please go on to The Tom May Bike Challenge Group where we are building support daily. It has been fantastic to get the levels of support we have done and we hope this continues. I just need to try to get all of the supporters in the group to sponsor me, whatever the sum, as this will all add up and take me further toward the target.

All information relating to the ride will be added to this blog in the build up and during the ride so keep checking the site to see how we are getting on.

Thanks for your support.