The founder of a Norfolk brewery is staying true to his word as he prepares to push a barrel of beer all the way to London for a worthy cause.
David Holliday, from Moon Gazer Ale, will push the 75kg barrel from its Hindringham base to St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London – a journey of more than 120 miles.
The effort is aimed at raising awareness of testicular cancer and the work of Norfolk cancer charity It’s On The Ball (IOTB).
Having seen his his initial plan - to complete the nine-day trek in 2020 - foiled by the pandemic, Mr Holliday will instead hit the road on Thursday, March 31.
He said: "It all started when I casually quipped on social media that, if Moon Gazer won the public vote for East of England Co-Op’s Producer of the Year, I would push a barrel of our charity ale Tobi’s Tipple - which we brew for IOTB - all the way to the oncology team at St Bart's.
“The hospital treats young men from Norfolk for testicular cancer, so it seemed fitting to make the journey to them.”
With Mr Holliday's idea in the public domain and gaining attention, he soon decided to commit to the Herculean effort.
Along the 201km walk, he will call into businesses and sports clubs to chat about the illness, with pubs and breweries providing stop-off points.
He hopes his effort will start important conversations - and save lives.
“The hope is that the beer push will get people talking," added Mr Holliday. "It’s more about raising awareness than anything else.
“If we can get the word out there and get young men to check themselves monthly, we will save lives. It really is that simple.
“By getting people talking about testicular cancer, we can spot symptoms early and 98pc can be cured. That's why we promote monthly checks, since a delay of just four weeks could be a death sentence to fit and healthy men."
Mr Holliday will be supported on his walk by Vince Wolverson from IOTB, who will drive alongside in a van decked with the charity and beer push graphics which was kindly donated by Busseys in Norwich.
Anyone is welcome to join him during the walk.
To find out more, visit moongazerale.co.uk or follow the hashtags #beerpush and #testicularcancer on social media.
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