CYCLING enthusiast James Stewart has begun a gruelling 2,300 mile cycle from Swindon to Sicily in a bid to raise £2,300 for a charity particularly close to his heart.
James’s sister, Angela, has Rett syndrome - a rare condition that begins in early childhood, affecting the development of the brain, causing severe physical and mental disability.
The condition affects approximately one in every 10-12,000 females and is rarely seen in males.
As well as raising much-needed funds for Reverse Rett, James wants to spread awareness of Rett syndrome so other families don’t have to go through what his did.
His destination is Portopalo di Capo Passero, Sicily’s southernmost point, which he aims to reach in just 20 days’ time.
He will be averaging 125 miles per day and climbing a total of 36,000m, the equivalent of four ascents up Mount Everest.
He said: “The target I’ve set myself is high. It involves more miles and climbing than the modern Tour de France in as many or fewer days.
"There’ll be no teammates, no group to hide in, no following support cars or fancy team buses. Just me, my bike, my tent and whatever other luggage I can minimise.
"I've always wanted to do something for charity, but it had to be extreme. With Rett research looking so promising, now is that time.”