Project to create new community events hub in Harrogate is backed by Walking Tours Harry

After battling back from a terrible road crash during an epic charity bicycle ride to Egypt last year, Harry Satloka is now out and about, preparing to relaunch his famous Free Walking Tours – and get married.

But the popular independent tour guide has also taken time to support exciting plans for West Park United Reformed Church.

The West Park Project aims to restore the beautiful church, whilst retaining it as a place of worship but transforming it into a vibrant community space for performance, meetings and use by local groups.

As part of volunteers’ fundraising to make the vision happen, An Evening with Harry took place at the church when he entertained a sold-out crowd with tales from his bicycle ride to the pyramids.

The audience was treated to a series of videos which accompanied his stories about his adventures on Rudolph, his trusty bicycle from Harrogate-based charity Resurrection Bikes.

Despite his traumatic ordeal of being hit by a van at 50mph in Turkey near the Syrian border, Harry paid tribute to those who helped in along the way: good friends, new friends, complete strangers, and even a handful of dogs.

The audience were served a delightful meal and Artizan Café provided delicious chocolate cake to cap it off.

Harry, who is preparing for his marriage to his partner, writer and actor Rebecca Evans, undertook the 4,970 mile cycle ride to the Pyramids for Artizan International.

The Harrogate-based charity enables, empowers and supports people with disabilities to meet their full potential, through therapeutic craft activities and social enterprise, in the UK and the developing world.

After the success of the evening, and a long waiting list of names, it is proposed to repeat the event in a few weeks time. Provisional bookings can be made at [email protected]

Harry is to bring back Harrogate Free Walking Tour from March 1.

And his videos from his action-packed trip to Egypt will soon be available on his YouTube channel, Harry Does History.