Sweating it into the record books

Fundraising | Ian Allsop | 1 Dec 2007

If the key to successful fundraising is not only measured in pounds raised but pounds gained, column inches and coverage, then Charlie Williams’s feat of smashing one of the more spurious world records in the good name of charity is surely worth complimenting.

The landscape of global bests is littered with landmarks that most of us wouldn’t even dream of, let alone something we would give up time to better, but in a month where British sporting success has been elusive, raise your hat, or T-shirt, to the man from Woodford Green who managed to wear 224 T-shirts simultaneously.

Children at St Antony’s Roman Catholic Primary School cheered on Williams, 27, from Buckhurst Hill, as he eclipsed the previous record of 164 T-shirts in a gruelling three-hour ordeal.

Richard Parrot, proprietor of Woodford Green-based T-shirt company itiswhatitis.co.uk, came up with idea for the pupils to decorate the shirts.

Parrot said: “We thought it would be a bit of a laugh and raise money for charity. Half the money will go to the school and the rest will go to children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent. We hope to raise a couple of thousand pounds.”

Charlie said he was happy to lend a hand – and his chest – to raise money for such worthwhile causes. He added: “I felt like my knees were going to buckle under about 50kgs of T-shirts, but I always thought I'd do it.”

All the T-shirts were designed by the pupils at the school. Deputy headteacher, Sue Hartnett, added: “It's nice to get involved in things for the community and our children always rise to the challenge. The money is going to be raised by selling the T-shirts for £10 each. The buyers may well have to wear them as nightshirts, because some are enormous.”

Directory: CLIC Sargent
Who's Who: Ian Allsop

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