Hatton Park man's bathtub bike challenge for charity

Stuart Kettell, who is 53, has been taking on fundraising challenges for around 11 years. In that time he has managed to raise more than £50,000 for Macmillan, which supports those affected by cancer.

He decided to raise money for the charity after he was inspired by it’s work with families and patients. Stuart, who is also a cameraman, said that Macmillian had also helped some of his friends and family over the years.

In the past he has taken on a variety of challenges.

In 2007 he flew around Britain in a microlight.

In 2008 he went from Land’s End to John o’ Groats on a penny-farthing.

In 2009 he went from France to Coventry in a kayak.

In 2010 he lived in a box for a week suspended by a crane.

In 2011 he did seven marathons in seven days in a human hamster wheel.

In 2012 he was suspended in the air by helium balloons for seven days.

In 2013 he walked every street in Coventry on stilts.

In 2014 he levitated in mid air for a week.

In 2014 he pushed a Brussels sprout up Snowdon with his nose.

In 2015 he popped 10,000 balloons on a pogo stick.

Stuart took a two-year break from his fundraising efforts after a mitral valve leak in his heart but after major surgery in October 2017 he is now back to his challenges.

Setting his sights for his next challenge, Stuart will now travel from one end of the UK to the other by a bathtub bike.

Stuart, who has lived in Hatton Park for four years, but previously lived in Coventry, said: “I was looking for my next challenge. I have been doing all the normal fundraising stuff and I try to make the challenges as quirky as possible. I try to think of something crazier than the previous year.

“I have previously gone from Land’s End to John o’ Groats on a penny-farthing bike and I really enjoyed it.

“I had the bathtub idea in my head for a while – I have a bathtub around a recumbent bicycle so it looks like I am sitting in the bath as I cycle.

“It’s not the most comfortable way to travel.

“I also have a bubble machine for the exhaust, a duck on the front called James Pond and I will be towing a toilet which will be my donation box.”

Bathroom City of Birmingham donated the bath for Stuart’s challenge and Kinetics Online in Glasgow suppled the recumbent bicycle and also engineered the bike into the bathtub.

Stuart said: “I will set off on September 16 and I will be cycling 70 miles a day for two weeks. I may also have a friend cycling along with me.

“I will see so many people along the way and I will have a live tracker along the way too so people can come out and support me and see where I am.

“I am hoping to raise between £5,000 and £6,000 with this challenge.”

So far Stuart has raised around £1,600.

To donate to Stuart’s fundraising page click here