A BARROW man is hopping on his bike and cycling more than 1,000 miles in a bid to raise money for a children's charity.
Sporty Kevin Roberts decided to do the sponsored ride from Barrow to Paris in honour of Save the Children.
Mr Roberts was constantly seeing heartbreaking stories on the news showing the ever-growing importance of charitable organisations.
The teaching assistant from Ulverston's Sandside Lodge School said: "I just kept seeing stuff on the news and felt like I wanted to do something nice.
"I'm a keen cyclist and I'm pretty fit but I'm going to pace myself.
"The students all think I'm bonkers but they've been very positive, it's a wonderful place to work."
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Setting off tomorrow at 8.30am from Barrow's Topmark cycle shop, Mr Roberts will also be waved off by MP John Woodcock.
The 53-year-old has predicted that the 1,196-mile round trip should take no more than a week to complete.
But the Salford-born cyclist is no stranger to long distances having completed the Tour de Furness twice and cycling 20 miles to work each day.
Proud wife Sam will be driving a few miles ahead each leg of the trip, arriving early to set up camp for the night.
Split into several legs, Mr Roberts will travel more than 130 miles from Barrow to his some turf, Salford Media City before passing through to Buxton.
He will then travel to Oxford before continuing on to Newhaven for the ferry crossing to France.
Another special guest, Rachel Slattery, deputy head teacher at Sandside Lodge, will also be joining in the first leg of the ride.
Mr Roberts told the Evening Mail he has been cycling off and on for most of his life and is keen to get cracking with his fundraising.
The father-of-two said: "I can cycle up to 60 miles in any one day and I don't take any prisoners, keeping a fast pace.
"For this one I will be going steady and not getting to tired.
"Save the Children have been very supportive and said they will keep in contact with me the whole way."
"It is all in the name of peace hope and love – it's as simple and as complicated as that!"
Go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Paris-peace-tour where you can show your support for Kevin and Save the Children.
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