A team from planning consultancy Evans Jones will celebrate its 50th anniversary next month by cycling from Cheltenham to Bruges in three days.

Directors David Jones and Ian Eggleton, along with six other riders from Gloucestershire businesses will set off from the firm's Cheltenham office and cycle up to 100 miles a day culminating in the final day in the beautiful Belgian city of Bruges

The team aims to raise at least £5,000 for the Great Western Air Ambulance charity from the event which is set to take place from September 22 - 25.

David Jones said: "I didn't know, but air ambulances throughout the country are not funded by the NHS or Government - they're all funded by public participation and public funding so this is part of that fundraising for a great cause which saves lives and does a great job.

"We thought that it's an apt organisation to support through our charitable funding. We've got eight people signed up over a three-day period, cycling from here to Guildford, Guildford to Dover, across the Channel to Calais and Calais to Bruges, our final destination, and a big party I hope!"

The team is made of the following riders and support crew: David Jones (Evans Jones), Ian Eggleton (Evans Jones), Paul Engelbrecht (BPE Solicitors), Matt Mauler (Rappor), Rory Sweeney (Firmacore),

Richard King (EDF Energy), Kelan Loughnane (Mack Residential), Dale Williams (Vallon Rouge), Jo Bruce (Evans Jones) and Bella Chambers (Evans Jones).

Evans Jones was established in 1972 as a local architectural and technical practice by original partners Eric Evans and Prys Jones. It is now a multi-disciplinary, nationwide property consultancy.

Now run as a second generation family business by David Jones, the son of original partner Prys Jones, alongside co-director, Ian Eggleton, the firm has continued to grow.

David added: "From our first office in Cheltenham's Royal Crescent, we now have offices in London and Reading, with our head office still here in Cheltenham.

"We have survived an oil crisis, the three-day working week, recessions in the 80s and 90s, the financial crisis and now a global pandemic! It has been a cruel few years for everyone and there has certainly been no rule book of how to deal with things."

You can support the team's bid to support the air ambulance at https://www.justgiving.com/page/evans-jones-big50