A trunks-wearing long distance charity walker has begun the final leg of his latest and last challenge, making his way through Cornwall.
Michael Cullen - better known as Speedo Mick, due to completing his fundraising walks wearing just a pair of Speedos and walking boots, with the occasional woolly hat - is nearing the end of his final ever walk.
He has now announced his route through the Duchy, which he hopes to finish at the end of the month.
With just over 100 miles left from his 1,000-mile route from John O’Groats, Speedo Mick is hoping to raise £200,000 by the time he reaches Land’s End, in order to hit the £1million fundraising mark in total from over the last seven years.
Today (Saturday) he will be heading through Trewint near Launceston and into Bodmin.
He spoke of his pleasure at reaching Cornwall on Friday, saying: “I am so happy to be in Cornwall, it has given me a big boost to know that I'll be seeing my loved ones very soon.
“Thank you so much to everyone who popped out to see me today, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your effort to support my silly self.”
After today his route will then be:
Bodmin / St Austell: Sunday, April 16
St Austell / Wadebridge: Wednesday, April 19
Wadebridge / Newquay: Thursday, April 20
Newquay / Truro: Monday, April 24
Truro / Portreath: Tuesday, April 25
Portreath / Hayle: Thursday, April 27
Hayle / Penzance: Friday, April 28
Penzance / Land’s End: April 29
During this time he will giving his fundraising a final push, with this final walk going towards mental health support and suicide prevention.
Writing on his online fundraising page at www.gofundme.com/f/the-final-stomp where just under £180,000 has so far been raised, Speedo Mick said: “Sadly after I have finished this next challenge I will be hanging up my blue knickers for ever more.
“I have spent seven years tirelessly fundraising for charity and I’m a bit knackered now, and I also want to spend more time with my loved ones as we don't have them forever do we.
“But it's not over yet, we have this last walk to complete before I say goodbye to my stomping days; I'm no spring chicken you know.
“On this next challenge I will be fundraising for something that is very close to my heart and that is mental health and suicide prevention. I have suffered from mental health most of my adult life and still do suffer from it to this day.”
Donations from this walk will going to the first Speedo Mick Foundation projects supporting mental health – something he said he had dreamt of doing “for a long time now.”
Grants will also be made to small, grassroots charities that support mental health, disadvantaged young people and those are homeless.
He added: “It will be a dream come true for me to be able to give back to my community and support people who are suffering from mental health.
“On my last 2,500 mile walk you donated a massive £200,000 for my efforts and if by some miracle we managed this again then I will have raised £1,000,000 for charity, and that will also be a dream come true and such an amazing achievement from a man who not so long ago had lost his dignity, lost his pride, lost his home, lost his family and any hope.
“I have all that back in my life today because I received support, and I hope we can give that back through the Speedo Mick Foundation and our new mental health projects.”
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