A DAD whose daughter died when she was just eight years old will run, swim and cycle from London to Paris to raise money for the charity he co-founded.

Dr John Young and three of his close friends are set to take on the notoriously challenging Enduroman Arch to Arc event.

The 51-year-old will run, swim and cycle his way from Marble Arch, in London, across the English Channel and on to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris in aid of the Teapot Trust.

John and his wife Laura founded the charity in 2010 after seeing the gaps in the care of their daughter Verity, who suffered from Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) and also cancer before her tragic death, aged just eight, in 2009.

The Teapot Trust, based in Cockenzie, provides hospital-based art therapy to children with chronic illnesses.

Juggling full-time jobs, families and other commitments, the team have already begun their gruelling months of training in the Scottish mountains.

John, of Gullane, said: “Fundraising events like the Arch to Arc challenge are fantastic ways to raise awareness and funds for the charity.

“Art therapy makes a huge difference to the lives of so many chronically ill children by helping them to relax, communicate or express themselves.

“The Teapot Trust relies completely on donations so we would like to use this opportunity to raise as much awareness and funds as possible.”

John will be joined by Richard Hobson, 51, Stuart Macleod, 49, and Alan Cardwell, 42.

The challenge gets under way in September in the centre of London, with John and his friends starting off with an 87-mile run to Dover.

They will then ditch the running shoes and take to the English Channel as they attempt to complete the notoriously difficult 21-mile Channel swim.

Finally, the team will cycle 180 miles from Calais to the Arc de Triomphe, in the country’s capital city.

‘The Teapotters’ team will be completing the challenge as a relay, with each member completing 60-minute sets.

John, who is involved in a number of businesses and is also writing a children’s book, admitted it was a gruelling challenge but was looking forward to it.

He said: “We are very much looking forward to it.

“We’ve been training fairly solidly since the end of last summer and it will be another hard summer ahead.

“We will be out every day doing something and will hopefully be in good shape by September.”

John has been training off the East Lothian coast, swimming to North Berwick and Yellowcraig from Gullane as he gets ready for the fundraising adventure.

Last year, the charity provided more than 3,000 hours of art therapy and interacted with 5,215 children.

The couple were also named as ‘Points of Lights’ by Prime Minister David Cameron in June in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the community.

The charity works throughout the country, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Dundee, Aberdeen, Kirkcaldy and Melrose, as well as in Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

The main focus is to continue providing the current services and fundraise for a programme of research.

The Teapot Trust also hopes to begin one-on-one work in the Borders and begin a group art therapy session in the outpatients department of St John’s Hospital, West Lothian.

To make a donation, go to uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/2arcs