Hemel man cycles to Scotland to raise money to buy disabled neighbour new kitchen

A man from Hemel Hempstead is cycling to Scotland to raise money to buy his disabled neighbour a new kitchen.

Steve Golc, from Gadebridge, decided to take on the 333 mile journey from Hemel Hempstead to Annan - on the Scottish border - in memory of his wife's late father and to raise £2,000 for a new kitchen for his neighbour.

Steve set off on his challenge on Saturday morning (August 14) and aims to complete it today, his 46th birthday (August 20).

On his fundraising page Steve said: "We generally see people raising money for the big charities but very often we are blind to the people that need help directly around us."

He added: "Having lost her elderly mother, she has been living on her own and without a functioning kitchen for four years.

"Her biggest dream was to extend the house for her mother and to make improvements to accommodate their disabilities.

"Her mother sadly passed away, but she made a promise that she would complete the work.

"Sadly, due to financial hardship, she is unable to do this in the immediate future.

"Her space is now an empty shell ready to fit a simple kitchen, but without financial help, she will struggle to achieve that.

"This kitchen would improve her life enormously, and besides the neighbourhood, she has no one else to help her."

On his journey Steve has been camping each night and living on a £10 per day budget.

His wife, Anna, said: "It is mentally as well as physically challenging for him.

"He said to me that you have a lot of time to think, you are on your own for a long time and you just end up thinking a lot.

"He is in good spirits, he said the people he has seen on his journey have been really kind to him, and have been stopping for a chat with him.

"He has really challenged himself, he has never done anything like this before."

Steve has raised £1,660 of his £2,000 target, to make a donation visit Steve's fundraising page.