A GROUP of Wiltshire teachers and governors are preparing to mount up for a 126km cycle ride to help disadvantaged pupils.

The Acorn Education Trust staff will tackled the Tour D’Acorn on July 16, pedalling between each of its 17 settings in one day, including Rowde, Dilton Marsh, Trowbridge, Warminster and Devizes.

The route is the equivalent distance from Trowbridge to Birmingham.

Organiser Jeremy Bowman, who is a governor at West Ashton C of E Primary School, said: “The riders taking part in the Tour D’Acorn all have varying experience on a bike, professional riders we are not!

"But each and every one is passionate about supporting the children and young people in Acorn schools.”

Secondary executive head at the trust Rob is also taking part. He explained: "As a trust we are keenly aware of the spiralling cost of living and how it is affecting many across our communities.

"There is an increased amount of pressure on many of our pupils and their families and the money raised from this cycle ride will make a real difference to them.”

The cyclists will set off from Clarendon Academy, Trowbridge, at 8:00am on the day and travel through the Wiltshire countryside, to each of the trust’s schools, before ending back at Clarendon at the end of Saturday.

They have already raised more than £500 towards their £1,000 target and all of the money raised will go towards projects that support children and young people’s academic and extra-curricular experience within Acorn schools.

Visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tourdacorn to support them and see their route