Scooter Rider Tackles Nepal Water Challenge
Shiva Charity's CEO begins a 1,000km scooter journey from Kathmandu to raise funds for clean drinking water in rural schools.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Tony Hobden, CEO of Weston-based Shiva Charity, set off from Kathmandu on Thursday, November 12, riding a small pink scooter on a 1,000km challenge. The 10-day Scoot4Nepal campaign aims to raise £80,000 for water purification systems in remote schools.
Why it matters
The campaign targets access to clean drinking water in rural Nepali schools, where each purification system costs £1,500 and includes 10 years of servicing. Hobden, who has no prior riding experience and began learning to ride this year, is using the physical challenge to draw further donations toward the remaining funding gap.
The campaign has raised £50,200 of its £80,000 goal, enough to support 34 of 50 targeted schools. Each water purification system costs £1,500 and includes 10 years of servicing, and it is not stated whether the funds will fully cover the remaining schools.
The players
Shiva Charity
Shiva Charity is a Weston-based charity whose work centers on supporting clean water access in rural communities.
Tony Hobden
Tony Hobden is a 52-year-old charity chief executive who is riding the scooter challenge despite having no prior riding experience.
The details
Hobden set out on the 1,000km route with a video team documenting the journey through regular updates from the road. Funds raised will go toward installing and maintaining water purification systems in remote schools.
Timeline
Thursday, November 12, 2026: Tony Hobden sets off from Kathmandu on the scooter challenge.
Ten days from November 12, 2026: The Scoot4Nepal challenge is scheduled to run its full duration.
Philanthropy Context
The Scoot4Nepal campaign follows the model of funding individual water purification systems at £1,500 apiece, each bundled with 10 years of servicing, that charities have used to bring clean water to remote Nepali schools. Adding a physical endurance challenge is a fundraising tactic aimed at turning per-school costs into a visible, shareable effort.
Donors can contribute to the campaign's £80,000 goal, and each £1,500 contribution covers one water purification system with 10 years of servicing. The challenge's progress will be shared through video updates from the road.
The takeaway
Small, concrete costs such as £1,500 per school water system make it possible for individual donors to see exactly what their money funds. Endurance challenges can make a distant funding goal feel personal and immediate.
Further reading
Explore more on Philanthropy to see how charities fund large-scale community infrastructure projects.
More information
Donations can be made through the Scoot4Nepal donation page on JustGiving.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Weston Mercury.
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