Two trainee priests and their lecturer are cycling to Wales’ six cathedrals on a 450 mile pilgrimage to raise money for charity.

The team from St Michael’s College, Cardiff, will spend eight days cycling across Wales from St Davids to St Asaph via Llandaff, Newport, Brecon and Bangor. They hope to raise money for the college and also for the cancer charity, Tenovus.

Tom Bates and Rhun ap Robert  – both ordinands in Llandaff Diocese – will join their lecturer Revd Stephen Adams for the ride and they hope to be supported by parishioners en route. They will begin and end each day with prayer for the work of both charities and for vocations to ministry in the Church in Wales.

Tom, who will be ordained in June and will be heading off to Merthyr Tydfil to serve as a curate, said, “This is a great opportunity for us as Church in Wales ordinands to get out and about in Wales, and we are keen to meet people on the way. We’re asking people to pray for us and for the charities we’re supporting as well as to help us raise money.”

This is Tom and Rhun’s first major cycling challenge which they are undertaking under Stephen’s expert guidance. When they are not studying, preparing for their finals, or on parish placement, the team are hitting the local Taff Trail and Celtic Trail to get in training for the Cycle Pilgrimage.

Rhun, who will serve as curate in Aberavon, said, “Growing up in west and north Wales I would be on my bike at every opportunity and would love to be out in the open air discovering the rugged beauty of the Llyn Peninsula and Cardigan Bay. One thing being at theological college has taught me is the need for a balance in mind, body and spirit. We exercise our minds in our study, our spirit in our worship and for all areas to function fully, the need to exercise body is just as essential. Tenovus is a fantastic charity and were there for me when I needed support at a difficult time. I needed a challenge to get out and do some physical exercise and having previously raised money for a national charity by trekking the Andes and living in the amazon jungle in Ecuador for a fortnight, I wanted to do something closer to home. Cycling the length and breadth of Wales as a form of pilgrimage, raising money for a great Welsh charity seemed a fantastic way in starting my ministry in serving the people of Wales.”

Stephen is a very experienced cyclist, having cycled the length of Britain, the length of Wales and on several tours in Europe. He cycles 25 miles a day from his home in Pontypridd to the college in Llandaff.

“I’m really looking forward to this trip. Every tour I’ve done has had elements of pilgrimage about it and this should be no different. The physical challenge of the ride, supporting one another through low points, laughing and praying together, as well as the simple rhythm of each day makes it a very special time. I hope that by journeying to each of these holy sites we’ll get a deeper sense of God’s love for the people of Wales and encourage others to consider how God is calling them to help strengthen and build up our communities and churches.”

The team will leave St David’s Cathedral on Tuesday 22nd April, and arrive at St Asaph Cathedral on Tuesday 29th April.

The travel plan is as follows:

22/04/2014 St David’s-Tenby
23/04/2014 Tenby-Swansea
24/04/2014 Swansea-Llandaff
25/04/2014 Llandaff-Newport-Brecon
26/04/2014 Brecon-Llanidloes
27/04/2014 Llanidloes-Dolgellau
28/04/2014 Dolgellau-Bangor
29/04/2014 Bangor-St Asaph 

The link to the Just Giving webpage is: http://www.justigiving.com/teams/stmichaels 

Alternatively cheques made payable to ‘Friends of St Michael’s’ can be sent to St Michael’s College, 54 Cardiff Rd, Cardiff, CF5 2YJ.

For more information, please contact: Rhun Ap Robert – Rhun.apRobert@stmichaels.ac.uk - 07803 725836 or Tom Bates – Tom.Bates@stmichaels.ac.uk - 07540 250 720