Former NFU President Peter Kendal is about to attempt his cycling challenge of a lifetime by covering more than 1,000 miles in 12 days – all in the name of charity.

Joined by Oxford Farming Conference chairman Richard Whitelock, the pair will set off on Monday (June 16) from Skelmersdale in the north west of England and make their way clockwise around the country. Stopping off at every NFU regional office and its NFU Cymru office in Builth Wells, their Farm Cycle Challenge will be raising money for three farming charities in the UK, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, the Addington Fund, the Farming Community Network, and Farm Africa, the charity working to end food poverty in Eastern Africa.

Peter Kendall said: “I have always resisted doing anything like this for charity because the NFU day job over the past few years has kept me busy. Despite that, I had become seriously out of condition in recent times and my kids have been relentless in their condemnation of my decline. So, for me, this is a mad challenge. I know I am certainly keeping those manufactures of Deep Heat in business.

“The thing that will keep me going over those tough Pennine hills however is the fact that this is all for charity. I am really up for this challenge and hope people will give as much as they can to help the four extremely worthwhile causes we are supporting."

To donate to the Farm Cycle Challenge click here