A BRINKWORTH man is set to row the length of one of the longest rivers in France.

Robin Lancefield is tackling the Loire river which is just over 1,000km for a good cause - but he's doing it on a rowing machine.

He's hoping he'll have raised £1,000 for the Salvation Army by Bastille Day on July 14.

The 50-year-old,who started his journey on April 17, said: “Now that I can’t go on a holiday to France because of lockdown I will just go on a virtual one.”

I’ve been rowing for quite a few years now for health and fitness.

“Now we’re in lockdown I was looking for something to do, something that was a challenge. That’s when I decided to row the length of the Loire river to support them in this difficult time.”

“My weight goes up and down all the time, I struggle with it. I got into this after trying it out at the gym because I wanted to lose weight, he explained.

He will be rowing on the machine between 10 and 15km a day to reach his target.

In the past he has rowed the equivalent of Lands End to John O’ Groats to raise money for the Salvation Army.

But he knows rowing the distance of the second longest river in France is a touch challenge.

He told the Adver what was keeping him motivated.

“When you set yourself a target and people know about it, they’re supporting you, that’s what gives me an incentive to get it done,” he said.

“It’s really awesome that people are sponsoring me, I can’t let them down and give up halfway. This really gives me motivation to keep at it.”

So far he has raised almost £400 for the charity’s coronavirus campaign.

It was launched to help the most vulnerable communities during the pandemic.

Robin said: “I wanted to support them partly because my wife Michala works with them, she’s a Salvation Army officer.

And I was looking to support a charity which is supporting the coronavirus response.”

Commissioner Anthony Cotterill is the leader of The Salvation Army in the UK. He said: “The Salvation Army anticipates many people will turn to our centres for help in these turbulent times.

"We are working hard to deliver our regular services and be there for those hardest hit by the coronavirus.”

To help Robin reach his target visit justgiving.com/fundraising/robin-lancefield2