Man skating across Netherlands for soup kitchen

A man is preparing to put on skates for the first time in 37 years to travel 80 miles (129km) across the Netherlands for a charity challenge.

Gavin Weir will skate from Amsterdam to Helmond over three days to raise money for Newbury Soup Kitchen, which provides meals made from donated food to people experiencing poverty and homelessness in West Berkshire.

"All my friends and family think I'm nuts, but it is important to me, it's not just about raising the money, it's about raising awareness for the charity," he said.

Gavin, from Newbury, begins the challenge on 15 April.

Last year he cycled 643 miles (1,035km) across Europe for men's mental health service Casual Minds Matter, a community interested company based in Burnley, Lancashire.

This time, he and a friend - both of whom skated when they were younger - wanted to attempt something different despite neither having skated in decades.

"I'm feeling very nervous about the challenge. I haven't skated in 37 years and we will be dressing up as Power Rangers," he said.

The pair will be using inline skates rather than four‑wheel boots with stoppers, something Weir believes "makes it even harder".

Preparation has been minimal.

"I've only practised for half an hour so far, but I intend to start skating to work which is three miles each way and will hopefully help make me confident," he told BBC Radio Berkshire.

Their route will follow the one his friend previously walked from Amsterdam to Helmond.

But he admits he is starting to grasp the scale of the challenge.

"At the moment, I don't have any stoppers on my skates, so I may have to hold onto something or just jump on some grass nearby and stop that way."

Newbury Soup Kitchen founder Meryl Prail described Weir as "incredible" and "brilliantly bonkers".

"What he is about to take on is amazing and we are incredibly grateful to him," she added.