Ron’s March For Prostate Cancer
England Cricket Seniors Walks 2026
DONATE HERE TO SUPPORT RON
Ron Hedley has been a passionate advocate for prostate cancer awareness since 2017 when he joined Jeff Stelling’s March for Men to raise funds for prostate cancer research. Just a year later, in November 2018, Ron was diagnosed with prostate and bone cancer himself. Determined to make a difference, he has worked tirelessly to spread the message that this disease will affect 1 in 8 men and to encourage men to get checked.
Through his involvement with Buckinghamshire Over 60s and Over 70s cricket, Ron had a large audience to raise awareness of PSA testing. With the support of teammates, friends and celebrities including Mary Berry, Ron organised a cricket match, lunch and auction, which followed nine charity walks in Buckinghamshire. These events culminated in a final lunch attended by Allan Lamb and Mick Harford, both prostate cancer survivors. Together, these initiatives initially raised £22,000, including Gift Aid for prostate cancer research and was donated to Prostate Cancer UK.
What was originally planned as a one-off event then grew into a nationwide movement. Inspired by conversations with the CEO of Prostate Cancer UK, Laura Kirby, and Bob Willis’s wife, Lauren Clark, Ron decided to take his campaign even further. What started as “one more walk” has by the end of 2025 expanded into 43 walks across England and Wales with a walk in Malta and a cricket tour to play the St Peter’s-Vatican Cricket Club in Rome. The original aim was for each county playing Over 60s cricket to organise a walk and rally their players to join Ron in raising funds.
The campaign has been met with overwhelming support, and we are delighted to announce that Ron will be continuing his walks into 2026. So far, well over 1,000 people have joined Ron’s walks with The Bob Willis Fund and England Cricket Seniors. As of December 2025 over £81,000 has been raised for prostate cancer research. We extend a huge thank you to Ron and everyone who has contributed to this incredible journey, including Bedfordshire, Sussex and Yorkshire for organising a first walk in 2025.
Added to our walks we received donations from the USA Over 60s National cricket team, David Faragher running the London Marathon, Suffolk organising a T20 competition, The Malta Seniors cricket tournament and England Seniors International cricketers
Several counties have already stepped up to organise a walk for 2026, with Essex, Gloucestershire, Middlesex, Surrey and Warwickshire leading the way. We hope the Counties who have yet to organise a walk will be able to in 2026 and hopefully help us reach the magical figure of £100,000. We know we are making a difference, so if your county has not yet organised a walk, please get in touch to make it happen.
We thank BBC local radio, The Silver Stumps podcast and Penn & Tylers Green Village Voice for their invaluable support by interviewing Ron and Katie Reeves (Bob Willis’s daughter) to support our campaign. Special thanks go to Roberto Perone and George Litchfield of BBC Three Counties Radio who followed the amazing trip 37 people made to Rome to spread the message throughout the Catholic Church. They even broadcast an interview with Ron live from Rome. We also thank Father Eamonn O’Higgins for his kind invitation to play cricket against The St Peter’s Vatican CC. To be invited to a Private Holy Mass in the Crypt of St Peter’s Basilica will live with us all for ever.
As a final note, we are saddened to share that Berkshire CCC and Buckinghamshire CCC lost a valued team mate from prostate cancer on 26th December 2025. We are determined to make sure this does not happen to more men, in Chris’s honour.
Read all about Ron’s previous walks via our news page here
Silver Stumps Podcast
Listen to Ron talking about his walks on Silver Stumps – the Over 60s Cricket Podcast, joining hosts Grant Timms and Trevor Lee.
Upcoming Walks
Friday 12th June 2026 – Northamptonshire Seniors Walk
Meet at 11:15 at Wantage Road End of Northamptonshire Cricket Club
A first walk with Northamptonshire CCC Seniors will take place on this date. Each walker will receive a ticket for the day’s play against Gloucestershire CCC. Donations should reference Northamptonshire Seniors.
Friday 19th June 2026 – Essex Walk, Essex v Nottinghamshire
Meet at 10:15 at Central Park Cafe
A special walk in Chelmsford, beginning in a local park and ending at The County Ground, where walkers will attend the match against County Champions Nottinghamshire. This walk is held in honour of Duncan Blackie, whose contribution to previous Essex walks was invaluable. Duncan lost his life to prostate cancer in January. This walk is to be filmed by the BBC and broadcast on Songs of Praise on Sunday 9th August 2026. Donations to mention Essex CCC Seniors.
Friday 3rd July 2026 – Cornwall CCC v Somerset
Meet at 10:30 at Wadebridge CC
Friday 10th July 2026 – Berkshire Walk in memory of Chris Harding
Meet at 10:30 at the Rowbarge, Woolhampton RG7 5SH
A walk along the Kennet & Avon Canal returning to the Rowbarge Inn for lunch. This walk is in memory of Chris Harding, Berkshire Seniors cricketer, who lost his life to prostate cancer recently. We are delighted Chris’s family will be at this walk.
For more information, please contact Colin Ainger, colin-ainger@yahoo.co.uk or Ron rjhatters1@yahoo.co.uk
Friday 7th August 2026 – Leicestershire Walk, Leicestershire v Warwickshire
Meet time TBC
A walk to Grace Road, where each walker will receive a ticket for the day’s play of the one day cup match, Leicestershire v Warwickshire
Friday 25th September 2026 – Hampshire Walk, Hampshire v Sussex
Meet at 10:00 in The Utilita Bowl car park
All walkers will receive a free ticket to the day’s County Championship match. For further information contact Geoff Beale
bealeg3@gmail.com or Ron.
For walks to County Grounds, on match days, you need to make Ron aware so he can organise your free match day ticket
To join a walk or for further information, please contact Ron Hedley at rjhatters1@yahoo.co.uk.
Money raised will go towards supporting key Prostate Cancer UK projects, including their TRANSFORM study.
