Jeff Brazier gets on his bike for Norwood

TV host Jeff Brazier swapped the This Morning studios for the dirt-track roads of southern India as he completed the Norwood Cycling Challenge in Kerala.

Joining more than 20 other cyclists on a five-day 358km charity bike ride, the 38-year-old is a long-term supporter of the charity, having previously cycled for the charity in Madagascar and Sri Lanka.

Saying he was inspired to get back in the saddle “to regain confidence and to see if I still had that mental strength to succeed”, he said: “It’s been a couple of years since my last Norwood Challenge and I really needed to have a break from the day-to-day routine of working and being a dad. At the same time I really wanted to test myself and do something for Norwood, which is a charity that does such great work. These Challenges are a great way to do that, I feel ten foot tall!”

The Challenge started at Cochin on the south-west coast of India, before taking the cyclists through the forests of Neriyamanagalam, the holiday resort of Munnar and the Idukki and Kulamavu dams.

Reflecting on the challenges, he said: “They’re always tough, which they need to be so you get a sense that you’ve really earned all of the sponsorship money. But this one was particularly hard; on the Monday we must have cycled for about 10 hours and climbed almost 2,000 metres. You soon forget about the physical pain though when you’re riding with such inspirational people, like Lawrence from (Norwood residential complex) Ravenswood who was riding tandem with Norwood Sports Coach Jonathan Green for the whole week.”

Speaking about the friendships he’s made while completing the Challenges, he added: “On every Challenge you make new friends and it’s a brilliant group atmosphere. One of the best things about Norwood Challenges is riding with the people the charity supports. The amazing effort these people put into the cycling is truly inspirational. Added to that the fact that you’re raising money for a charity that does such amazing work and it’s just such a layered, incredible experience.”

You can donate to Jeff’s fundraising BY CLICKING HERE: