A WOODSTOCK man will attempt to run a marathon after just 12 days of training to raise funds for a homelessness charity.

Dave Edwards, 36, takes on the challenge on Saturday in aid of Homeless Oxfordshire, after he was inspired by his hairdresser The Woodstock Barber Shop.

The store raised abound £1,500 for the music tech department at The Porch Day Centre in Oxford with a music-themed night last month and Mr Edwards pledged to match the total with an event of his own.

He will receive a baton from barber shop staff at the start of his run and intends to pass it onto the next individual to raise money for the county’s homelessness charities.

It will be quite an achievement if he completes the distance, but the events manager reveals he deliberately chose a difficult task.

He said: “I wanted to support the barber shop in some way, so I decided to take up the baton myself and match what they raised for another homeless charity.

“It required a challenge to raise that amount so I wondered if I could train for a marathon in 12 days.

“To be honest, I just want to complete the distance.”

Mr Edwards completed the London Marathon two years ago, but admits he is more used to routes of just a few miles.

With less than a week to go his longest training run was just 10 miles, but he is ratcheting up the distances throughout this week.

But after working in Oxford city centre in September and seeing the city’s problem with homelessness firsthand, the Woodstock resident said his own struggle pales into insignificance.

He added: “The level of homelessness is crazy at the moment, it really affected me. Every morning the same doorways on Cornmarket Street are full.

“It must be absolutely brutal when the weather is cold.”

After setting off from the barbers, Mr Edwards will run around the Blenheim Palace estate, along the canal to Oxford, back towards Kidlington and then into the city centre.

The fundraiser is appealing for supporters and has already seen donations flood in from family and friends.

He is even inviting members of the public to run a mile with him, with visually-impaired friend Nathan Tre planning to join Mr Edwards for a section after the halfway mark.

His finishing point is O’Hanlon House, Homeless Oxfordshire’s 56-bed hostel that provides specialist services and support to clients.

Yesterday, Mr Edwards visited the hostel to pick up the charity shirt he will wear for the run, while he will be fitted with a tracker which will be linked to his fundraising page.

Homeless Oxfordshire CEO Claire Dowan said: “We are really excited that Dave has chosen to support Homeless Oxfordshire in such an innovative way, we hope that other people will keep the momentum going and pick up the baton for homelessness across the county.

“We wish Dave luck and will see him at the end of the marathon to cheer him across the line.”

Text TOES97 to 70700 to donate.