A Hampshire man is taking on a 630-mile trek to raise money for charity.

Furniture designer Charlie Dedman, 32, will take a break from his role at Hampshire firm Gaze Burvill, based near Ropley, from April 1 for a two-and-a-half-month expedition along the South West Coast Path.

Mr Dedman, from Petersfield, aims to raise funds for Woodland Heritage, a charity promoting UK self-sufficiency in timber through local initiatives.

He said: "Growing up on the edge of the South Downs National Park, and son of a property restorer, I have always been surrounded by nature and processes that complement it.

"Now eight years into a furniture design career at Gaze Burvill, I am hitting pause on CAD, emails, and deadlines and hitting the 630-mile South West Coast Path for a new life-affirming challenge."

John Orchard, chief executive of Woodland Heritage, said: "Charlie is an inspiration. We all love trees and woodlands. But it’s surprising that so few of the nation’s woodlands are sustainably managed and the UK is the third largest importer of forest products in the world.

"During a climate crisis, we simply aren’t making the most of what we have."