A bit about me: I was lucky enough to have an incredible career as a professional cricketer. Never did i think I'd get to play for my country, let alone score a century on my Test debut at Lords against Sri Lanka.

What came in 2008 was even more special, as I became permanent England cricket captain. Honoured was an understatement. Can you imagine the nerves as you step out for your first Ashes series with the captaincy and the whole country's expectations resting on your shoulders? But with an unbelievable team of talent, and a relentless spirit, we not only won my first Ashes as captain on home soil, but we went and retained it down under, without doubt the highlight of my career. Not long after that fateful tour in Australia, I retired as professional, turning my attention to my life after playing professional sport. So the next best thing was leading the process and strategy to ensuring the England team became ODI World Champions... something that was achieved of course in the summer of 2019.

In 2018 however on a personal note away from cricket, my wife of 15 years, Ruth, with whom we have two amazing children, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer that affects non-smokers. Within the year, she had passed away. Towards the end of her illness, Ruth had the idea of setting up a charitable foundation to help every family that has a parent passing from cancer, and raising much needed awareness of non-smoking lung cancers. Ruth desperately wanted to help those affected by this terrible disease and she had a very strong sense of charity – in the broadest sense – of helping others less fortunate than ourselves, which we continue to strive to do at the Foundation.