Grenfell inspires pair to raise charity cash
Firefighters take up rowing and cycle challenge
A Balfron firefighter is going to great lengths to raise cash for charity in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Gavin Callander (32), and 34-year-old pal Scott Butler are both firefighters based in Berkshire and have decided to support the Fire Fighters Charity.
The pair are going to kayak the length of Scotland’s three longest lochs – Loch Lomond, Loch Awe in Argyll and Bute and Loch Ness – and cycle between them on a tandem.
They will also tow another kayak with the bike in it.
The five-day challenge gets underway at Loch Lomond tomorrow (Saturday).
They will then cycle 49 miles to Loch Awe to kayak the length of it. Following that they make the 120mile journey to Loch Ness.
The tandem bike has been named Jeanie after Gavin’s gran who recently passed away.
Former Balfron High pupil, Gavin – who has been living in Surrey since the age of 18 and has been a firefighter for the last six years – told the Observer: “It’s an exciting four or five days. We work on Friday night and start the trip on Saturday at Balloch.
“Scott is the adventurer between the two of us. He completed the Marathon des Sables in which you have to run six marathons in six days in the Sahara desert. He’s used to pushing himself to his limits. He’s also a world record holder as the first person to row the Black Sea, but I’ve got the grunt and the muscle behind this trip.
“It’s entering the unknown a bit but we are giving ourselves around 12 hours per loch.”
Gavin says that incidents such as last week’s tragic Grenfell Tower fire that killed 79 people can affect firefighters trying to save lives.
He said: “Firefighters are always rough and tough. They don’t want to talk about things, but I’ve heard about Grenfell Towers and things can really play on your mind.
“We weren’t sure about doing it for charity, but after the Grenfell Tower fire we decided we would do it for The Fire Fighters Charity.”
Firefighters who tackled the blaze in the London tower block have been reported to be receiving trauma counselling.
Gavin and Scott will gather with family and friends on the shores of Loch Lomond on Saturday to see them off on their adventure.
As the Observer went to press the pair had already collected £1,300 in donations and have doubled their original target to £2,000.
To donate to the charity visit: http://bit.ly/2sE06Bc.