Young Manchester dad hopes to raise £100,000 and help give African families fresh water

By Adam Ryder

A young dad is hoping to raise £100,000 for water charities at a welcome event in Albert Square, Manchester, next month.

Ollie Mason, from Chester, will walk from John-O-Groats to Lands End, while balancing 20 litres of water un-aided on his head.

Visitors can try to attempt the feat themselves and emulate the daily struggle nearly 1billion people face every day.

Mr Mason said: "If supporters along the way come along and even choose to carry a bucket of water I guarantee that they will be horrified to know this is what women and children need to do every day simply to keep their families alive.”

Currently in West Africa 18million people are at risk because of water scarcity and dirty water kills a child every 20 seconds.

Ollie is undergoing gruelling training sessions to strengthen his neck and shoulder muscles in time for the start of the walk.

The money will be donated to Water Aid, Breakthrough Foundation, Water for Africa and Oxfam.

Heather Walkington-Peak, community fundraising manager for Oxfam in the North, said: “Ollie is a great inspiration for everyone he meets- clean water is vital to enable people to be healthy and get themselves out of poverty.

Thousands of people will cheer Ollie on and he already has more than 200,000 followers on Twitter.

To pledge your support visit www.thewaterrun.co.uk