Bathtime for charity fundraiser, Luke (From York Press)
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Luke Parry to paddle 200 miles in tub to London
1:12pm Wednesday 29th August 2012 in News
By Kate Liptrot, kate.liptrot@thepress.co.uk
Luke Parry training on the River Ouse last week.
THE sight of a man sailing the River Ouse in a bathtub left onlookers in York puzzled.
Twenty-one-year-old Luke Parry was on the water as a training exercise ahead of his latest challenge – to paddle the 200 miles from Birmingham to London in the tub.
Following his trip along the Ouse, he travelled to Birmingham at the weekend and is currently making his way along the Grand Union Canal towards London in a bid to raise money for the Red Cross.
Luke is no stranger to epic challenges. Last year, the engineering student cycled 2,200 miles from London to Istanbul in aid of the charity which supported the victims of the New Zealand earthquake after his family were caught up in the disaster.
Luke said: “Paddling in a bathtub such a distance will push myself to new limits.
“I’ve already witnessed an elderly man walking faster. To reach London in 14 days, I will have to paddle from dawn till dusk or till my arms fall off, covering a paltry 15 miles a day.
“The British Red Cross are always there both for natural and humanitarian disasters.
“I admire the dedication of their volunteers and I wish everyone could support such a great cause make a donation regardless of size.
“People are scared of chasing their dreams. I want to show that anything’s possible with a bit of determination. Till we dare embrace fears of trying what’s impossible we never know what we can achieve. Who’s the fool – the person trying a foolish stunt or the one who daren’t?”
Luke, from Eastrington, near Howden, in East Yorkshire, has so far faced challenging weather conditions including torrential rain and cold nights spent in a tent.
It is the second time he has started the journey – he had to abandon the effort in June due to dismal weather. So far he has carried his bathtub around numerous locks and hitched a ride through a mile-long tunnel on a barge.
To follow Luke’s adventure or to donate money, visit bathtubadventure.com
