Nick Bracken OBE, President of the club in Memorial Park, West Ham, and Rugby Football Union Council member for Essex, arranged the 85-mile trip in aid of The Atlas Foundation, which helps deprived children move towards a better future through the sport of rugby.

East London RFC representatives taking part as either riders or support crew alongside Nick included former club chair and Honorary Life Vice-President Simon Crick; club captain and player Andy Davenport; Vixens ladies’ player and club social secretary Deepti Davenport; club vice-presidents Dave Armond, Simon Letchford and Kim Bromley-Derry; and club sponsors Roy Strickland and Paul Richards.

The East London group joined members of the Silver Hippos Rugby Football Club in a journey starting in Havering, cycling across parts of Essex, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire towards their final stop in Mundford, Norfolk.

In 2018, Nick and the Silver Hippos visited one of the Atlas Foundation's projects in Cape Town, South Africa. During this visit, they met the Foundation's founder, former England rugby star Jason Leonard, as well as the England rugby team. Inspired by what they saw, Nick and the Silver Hippos have supported the Foundation ever since.

Nick, the Representative Deputy Lieutenant for Havering, part of the Greater London Lieutenancy, which supports The King and the Royal Family, alongside promoting the work of uniformed and voluntary services, faith groups and charitable organisations, said: “Having seen the great work The Atlas Foundation does in making young lives better, we are proud to be able to arrange this annual cycle ride to support them. I thank everyone who took part and those who donated generously in terms of money and in precious time to make it all happen safely."