Duo to skate 80 miles from Amsterdam for charity.

Gavin Weir and friend Ian Chapman plan to roller-skate 80 miles from Amsterdam Airport to Helmond over two days starting April 15 to raise £1,500 for Newbury Soup Kitchen.

Gavin Weir, 49, and his long-time friend Ian Chapman plan to roller-skate 80 miles across the Netherlands this spring in a two-day challenge. The pair aim to begin on April 15, starting at Amsterdam Airport and travelling south to Helmond. The effort is a fundraiser for Newbury Soup Kitchen with a target of £1,500. Mr Weir has not roller-skated for 37 years and says he will begin practising by skating from home to work in Newbury. Key details: - Distance and route reported as 80 miles, from Amsterdam Airport to Helmond. - Scheduled start date is April 15, with skating planned from about 8:30am each day until the late afternoon and overnight stays. - Fundraising target is £1,500 for Newbury Soup Kitchen. - Gavin Weir is 49 and has not roller-bladed for 37 years; he can ice skate but said stopping on roller-skates will be a new challenge. - The two have been friends for 27 years and have previously completed long fundraisers, including a 643-mile cycling ride last year for a mental health charity. Summary: The planned skate is a personal physical challenge combined with a local fundraising aim, reported as taking two days and starting on April 15. The next steps reported are practice this month and the scheduled start of the two-day skate in April.