A GROUP of friends will walk from Swindon station to London Paddington for charity on Saturday.

They aim to complete their task in 24 hours and are seeking sponsors.

Harvey Ritchie, Arron Dale and Valerii Mackay work at Buzz Gym in the Brunel Centre, and Detlef Jenkins trains there.

Harvey said: “The walk is approximately 77 miles. The four of us will be doing it and three of us have different charities.”

Harvey will be walking in aid of Mental Health UK, Arron for Cancer Research UK and Detlef for the Campaign Against Living Miserably, which is part of the National Suicide Prevention Alliance.

And Detlef ?

“He’s doing it out of kindness,” said Harvey. “He’s doing it to motivate all of us other guys.”

Detlef Jenkins was in the news last year for another effort in aid of a good cause, when he completed a 24-hour rowing machine challenge at the Brunel Centre – the equivalent of rowing more than 40,000 strokes.

When the time came for another 24-hour challenge, his friends decided they would all take part. They will use A and B roads, and to complete the walk in their target time, they will have to maintain an average pace of a little over 3.2 miles per hour. Would-be sponsors are invited to visit the walkers’ and Buzz Gym’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Harvey said: “The more money we raise, the more motivated we become.”