A Bermondsey fundraiser is two weeks into a gruelling 3,000-kilometre charity cycle from London to St Petersburg in Russia.
Gavin Tiffin, the hospitality manager at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, is raising awareness about how art can improve health and “change people’s lives”. He is also fundraising for charities including Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
The 34-year-old began his stunt in London on August 13. Since then he has cycled to Poland via France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. He still has to pass through Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia before finally reaching Russia on September 3.
He said: “I think I’ll be very emotional when I reach St Petersburg, but there’s so much to achieve before then. I’m thinking of the journey stage-by-stage.
“When it gets tough I’ll be thinking of my grandfather for motivation. He was a Royal Navy veteran who served in the Arctic Convoys delivering supplies to Russia during the war. I never got to meet him but hopefully I will make him proud.”
He is expected to become the first person to complete the route by cycling at least 100 kilometres every day.
You can keep up to date with Gavin’s challenge at his website www.theculturalcycle.org or on Twitter by following @CulturalCycle.
