A 63-year-old is preparing to embark on a solo 480-mile bike ride to France and back to raise money for charity and said: "It’s a challenge of can I, or can’t I?"

Vice president of the Wilton Rotary Club, Aubrey Steele came on the Journal On Point podcast to talk about the event, which he is funding completely himself so that all donations received will be given to the club and distributed to various charities.

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Aubrey said: “It’s a challenge of…can I? Can I complete it? I’ve opened my mouth about it now.”

The challenge is expected to take about 10-12 days, but Aubrey joked: “It’s why I don’t have an end date.”

The challenge starts on Saturday, September 2 in Fovant, and Aubrey is planning to ride 50 miles each day taking in some of the war memorials en route.  

He said: “It’s why I am starting at Fovant. I am certain there are some memorials at Romsey and Newhaven too, and I can pass on my respect and regards.”

To prepare for the challenge ahead, he is riding his bike two or three times a week.

He said: “I am about to start getting on the train and riding back from Southampton or Andover. In the morning, I do a 20-minute yoga session, but athletic manoeuvres are long beyond me.”

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Aubrey said there had always been cycles in the family, but these were quickly replaced by motorcycles when he was about 20 years old.

He said: “In my late 30’s, I thought I should do something about my waistline. I brought a bicycle, rode it twice and it then sat in the garage for ten years. I’m certain that’s a familiar story.

“Just so people don’t think I am cheating, my bike is electric. It does have an electric motor, because I came back to cycling two or three years ago and I live at the top of Coombe Bisset and have a very long hill to go up.”

“For the first few weeks, it was full power going up the hill, but I can now ride the bike uphill on minimal power. I am not out to set any marathon records. It just makes the hills a bit easier. To do this ride, it is about getting the maximum out of the battery.”

From Fovant, Aubrey will cycle to Newhaven, then to Dieppe, and onto, Le Havre and will possibly make a pit stop at Bayeux as there is a Rotary Club there.

Aubrey said: “It’s a bit further inland than I was planning to go but who can turn down a nice French meal?”

Listen to the full podcast detailing Aubrey Steele's cycling challenge

A fundraising page has been set up for anyone who would like to support the challenge.

Aubrey said: “Every pound that goes into the donation, a pound goes out to charity.”

The Salisbury Journal will follow Aubrey’s progress starting on Saturday, September 2 with a live blog. Anyone who would like to support the fundraiser, or to find out more, can go to the Just Giving page.