Lorry pull by Lincolnshire strongman in aid of suicide prevention charity

Ashton Reid and Dave Johnson, from Lincoln, are preparing for the challenge, taking place on July 25, and will raise funds for the Bearded Fishermen charity, which is based in Gainsborough.

In line with the latest Government guidance, the public will not be allowed to attend the event, but the challenge will be streamed live on Facebook.

Dave said: “A friend of mine knows the Bearded Fishermen and he has found their services to be vital.

“During the crisis, and even before it, I feel that mental health hasn’t been highlighted as much as it should have been and the work that the Bearded Fishermen do to support people who suffer from mental health problems is so important.

“I wanted to raise money to make sure they can continue to provide these vital services, especially at a time when funding for charities hasbeen cut owing to the coronavirus.”

Outside of completing and training regularly for his strongman challenges, Dave is a full-time community care worker.

He added: “I’ve witnessed at first-hand the impact that the coronavirus has had on vulnerable community members and the way in which it has changed residents’ day-to-day lives.

“That’s why I’m passionate about raising as much money as possible to make sure that those who need help the most right now can access it.”

Rick Roberts, co-founder of the Bearded Fishermen, said: “We’d like to congratulate Dave for reaching such a milestone and for offering to dedicate his tenth-year challenge to the Bearded Fishermen.

“It’s great to also have the support of someone like Ashton Reid, who is from Gainsborough, supporting a local cause.

“We’re really looking forward to it and while we know that times are difficult right now, we would urge anyone who can to donate to the JustGiving page before the event to help us reach the fundraising target.”

To support the charity and donate towards the challenge visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dave-johnson34#.