THE FORMER Glamorgan captain and England international cricketer Steve James has paid tribute to his “beautiful and caring” daughter who died suddenly last year aged just 21.
Mr James is hoping to raise £15,000 for charity in his daughter Bethan’s memory as he completes a roughly 100-mile cycle from his family home in Cardiff to Narberth – one of Bethan’s favourite places.
“Our beautiful and caring daughter Bethan died suddenly on February 8, 2020, at the age of just 21,” said Mr James.
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“This has obviously devastated the lives of me, my wife, Jane, and our son, Rhys, who was so close to his big sister.
“My aim is to cycle from Cardiff to Narberth in west Wales - about 100 miles - every year on Bethan's birthday, August 28.
“Bethan loved Narberth in Pembrokeshire and I will wear lots of pink, her favourite colour, and drink lots of hot chocolate, her favourite drink, on the way.
“This first year will only be a small event because covid has obviously hampered organisation, as has the ongoing investigation into Bethan's death from sepsis.
“But we are hopeful that over the years others will join in this and other events, and we can raise a considerable amount for a charity – Crohn's & Colitis UK – that was very close to Bethan's heart after she had been diagnosed with Crohn's in 2019, as well as 2 Wish Upon A Star and the Professional Cricketers' Trust, who have both been so good to us since Bethan's death.”
A former student at Monmouth School for Boys, Mr James now coaches cricket at the school.
He is also a cricket and rugby union writer for The Times, and Bethan had been hoping to follow in his footsteps and was training to become a journalist.
The Cricket Writers' Club, with funding from M5 Sports Management, has recently launched the Bethan James Bursary to provide opportunities for aspiring cricket journalists.
The fund aims to support young journalists who wouldn’t otherwise be able to take-up work experience opportunities in the industry.
For more information about the bursary, visit cricketwriters.com or to apply, e-mail: Rory.Dollard@pa.media
And if you would like to make a donation to Mr James’ fundraiser – and are able to – you can via gofundme.com/f/bike-for-beth
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