A BAKERY driver from Chipping Sodbury is set to push his strength to the limit for charity.

Derek Wells, a driver for Hobbs House Bakery, will pull the three-and-a-half tonne van he drives across the company’s site on September 4 to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Care.

But it won’t just be the truck he has to worry about. For the 40 metre pull from the Bakery’s loading bay to the café, the vehicle will also be loaded with several of 31-year-old Derek’s colleagues to add some extra strain to the endeavour.

Derek said: “I love watching the World’s Strongest Man competition each year on TV and the idea popped into my mind that I could try to raise some money by giving one of the really tough events a go.

Despite admitting he is a bit too short for most of the other traditional strongman events, Derek said that the truck pull is probably more difficult than the rest.

“This challenge has required a lot of time and effort and I have been training five days a week for two hours in the gym to get my strength up for it.

“Having a young family as well as my work means I have very limited time to commit, I am a husband and father in the morning and the evening and a driver in the day. As a result I have been going to the gym at midnight to train.

“I have even reached out to other strongmen for advice and support – some of the top guys have even responded with tips on training, nutrition and what to wear, which is amazing.”

Derek’s choice to fundraise for MacMillan is fuelled by his grandfather’s ongoing battle with lung cancer, saying he wants to raise the money to help those who have been diagnosed.

He said: “It is all about raising money for the charity, I want to try and raise as much for them as possible.

“When my daughter gets older, I want her to appreciate why I would do something like this.”

To donate to Derek’s cause, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Derek-Wells?utm_source=Sharethis&utm_medium=fundraisingpage&utm_content=Derek-Wells&utm_campaign=pfp-email