A YORK man is planning a series of fundraising events to raise money for a men’s charity starting with a coast-to-coast bike ride from Edinburgh this weekend, writes Arjun Kharpal.

Father-of-two Robert Abbey, 39, from Heron Avenue, said the Edinburgh bike ride was just the start of his journey to support The Prostate Cancer Charity.

He plans to cycle from John O’Groats to Land’s End from August 20 and then back to York in a route which totals 1,366 miles.

He said he considered this as merely a “warm up” for his ultimate fundraising aspiration of a major globetrotting challenge in March 2013.

He is considering cycling from Gothenburg in Sweden to Nordkapp, the highest point in Europe, and then through Sweden, Denmark, The Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal and Morocco as one option.

Mr Abbey is not fazed by the challenge ahead.

He said: “I’m not nervous, I’m very excited. It is a huge commitment. I want to see how different people live their lives in different cultures. It is going to be a phenomenal experience.

“I’m looking forward to getting it going. I’m getting itchy feet. My sons think it’s fantastic.”

Mr Abbey, who works as a doorman at The Duchess, in York, has organised a charity gig at venue on July 20.

The event will feature four of York’s top rock bands including The Fallen and RSJ. Mr Abbey will be stationed at the Go Outdoors store next Saturday where he has a stall highlighting what he hopes to achieve, and ways to donate.

The money raised will go to The Prostate Cancer Charity, but he hopes to set up his own charity – Go Beyond – and secure registered status in the near future which would also help fund research into prostate cancer.

• The men-only R U Taking the P? 5k charity run around York takes place tomorrow at 9.30am.

The event is also to raise funds for research into prostate and other male cancers. It starts outside the main gates of Rowntree Park.