A GLEN Anil resident is attempting an epic feat of endurance in June this year to raise funds for local charities over the course of 15 days.

Gavin Skevington is running 600km over 15 days along South Africa’s coastline, starting from Port Edward to the Ponto border post to raise funds for Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa (CHOC), Sithanda Upliftment Projects, Paw Prints, Project Rhino and The Jes Foord Foundation.

He has called his initiative Run the Coast.

Effectively this means the 43-year-old is running a marathon (42.2km) a day for 15 days.

@caxtonlocalmedia Gavin Skevington is running 600km over 15 days along South Africa’s coastline, starting from Port Edward to the Ponto border post to raise funds for Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa (CHOC), Sithanda Upliftment Projects, Paw Prints, Project Rhino and The Jes Foord Foundation. He has called his initiative Run the Coast. Effectively this means the 43-year-old is running a marathon (42.2km) a day for 15 days. Skevington, the director of sport at Northlands Primary School, has been involved in various charitable fundraising initiatives over the past few years, raising more than R250 000. #NorthglenNews #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #explore #CHOC #run ♬ original sound – caxtonlocalmedia

Skevington, the director of sport at Northlands Primary School, has been involved in various charitable fundraising initiatives over the past few years, raising more than R250 000.

He recently spoke to Northglen News on how the idea for the run formed.

“I came up with the idea in 2019 and it slowly developed from there. I had looked at doing this in late 2020 but then Covid-19 pandemic hit and everything got shelved. I put it to the back of my mind but towards the end of 2024 something said, ‘if you don’t do it now you never going to do it.’ I began researching and planning last year and worked out the logistics on what it would take to complete this,” he said.

Skevington plans on completing the 600km solo but welcomed any support for those who wanted to run alongside him.

“I’m running solo. I haven’t asked anyone to run with me, if people want to join on some part of the journey I would welcome it. The important part for me is not about me, it is about doing this for the charities so that they gain the awareness, the support and funds. At the end of the day if I spark the interest for someone to do something for the benefit of someone else, then my job is achieved,” he said.

His goal is raise R50 000 per charity.

For more information or to support his efforts, visit www.runthecoast.co.za

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