When west London firefighter Darren Long turns 40 on Friday (November 20), he will look back on a year which he will never forget, for all the wrong reasons and all the right reasons.
Weeks before his 39th birthday, his girlfriend Chantelle Richardson suffered a debilitating stroke on the operating table.
It was a life-changer for Darren, who described the moment as “utter devastation”.
But from that despair he has spent the past year carrying out a series of outlandish tasks to raise money for good causes.
He set himself the target of carrying out 40 challenges before his 40th birthday and in the process has raised a total of £12,000.
The 40B4Forty challenges carried out by Darren, a firefighter based in Wandsworth who is often on duty at other stations including Fulham, Chelsea, Kensington and Ealing, included
- a 40k run
- cleaning 40 toilets and 40 cars
- waxing 40 per cent of his body hair
- sleeping rough for 40 hours
- a punishing 40-pub pub crawl
- and getting 40 celebrities, such as Will Carling, Alistair Campbell and Andrew Marr, to tweet or comment on his challenge.
Looking back over the past 12 months he said: “I’m buzzing. There’s been highs and lows but it’s been an unforgettable experience.”
Recalling how the charity challenge began, he said: “My girlfriend unfortunately last year had a stroke on the operating table at Birmingham University Hospital for a rare blood disorder that she’s had since birth.
“Whilst in hospital I read a Stroke Association leaflet and I read about someone’s fundraising and they did 40 challenges before their 40th birthday, and I was reading that three weeks before my 39th birthday.
“I immediately wanted to focus on something whilst going through what we were both going to go through. I immediately saw something I could focus on. It was something that I wanted to so, it was something I felt I had to do.”
His first challenge was quitting alcohol for 40 days, which he started in December. He lists the pub crawl and learning how to say ‘get well soon’ in 40 languages as his favourite challenges, but the devout Tottenham fan said wearing Arsenal and Chelsea shirts for 40 minutes were the toughest ones.
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40B4Forty was set up to raise money for the Stroke Association and Changing Faces - a small charity which challenges people’s views on facial and bodily disfigurements - and has smashed its £4,040 target.
He said: “We raised £8,000 online for the charities, but soon after we set it up people were wanting to give money to Chantelle for her recovery. That raised £4,000, so we’ve raised £12,000 in total.
“The last challenge takes place on Saturday, the day after my 40th, but I hope people will forgive. I’m going to have a party with 40 friends to celebrate my birthday and everything I’ve achieved with my friends this year.”
His efforts were recognised when he was nominated for Pride of Britain awards, and making it to final three for local fundraiser of the year in the London area - an experience Darren described as “truly humbling”.
Chantelle, who undergoes regular therapy, is also amazed at the amount of money raised. Darren said: “She is brave, funny, smart, sexy, tenacious and strong. When I see what she’s gone through I’m in awe of her. She’s very special.
“She’s been overwhelmed by people’s kindness and generosity from people that she’s never met and may never get the chance to meet.”
Despite the 40B4Forty challenge officially coming to an end, fundraising will continue into the New Year.
Anyone interested in donating can go http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/40b4forty
To read Darren’s blog go to www.40b4forty.co.uk
Darren Long’s 40b4Forty list
- Running 40km
- Cycling 40km
- Rowing 40km
- 40 hour fast
- 40 hour silence
- Post 40 blog entries
- Swim 40 lengths
- Walk up 40 floors
- 40 pub pub crawl
- Get 40 celebrity tweets or comments
- 40 mins dressed as a nurse
- Get 40 people to shave their heads
- 40 hours volunteering
- Get signed photo of celebrity that is 40
- Get 40 people to wear purple in May
- Take 40 penalties
- Gym Day - 40 burpees, press-ups etc etc
- Get 40 people to do conga
- Give up alcohol for 40 days
- Up & Down ladder 40 times
- Get bucketed 40 times
- Fit 40 people in fire engine
- 40 hugs
- Movie marathon 40 hours
- Learn to say “Get Well Soon” 40 different language
- Wash 40 cars
- Eating challenge involving 40.......
- Wearing Arsenal & Chelsea shirt for 40min
- 40 items of clothing for 40 mins
- Sleep rough for 40 hours
- Party with 40 friends
- Wear a bandage for 40 hours
- Abseil 80m (2x40) off Orbit structure
- Make & sell 40 cupcakes
- Give up TV for 40 days
- A 40 themed sports day at local running track
- Wax 40% of my body
- Get 40 people to donate £40
- Getting 40 people to do one of the challenges (not including 12, 15, 22, 31 and 38)
- Collecting 40 random items off people in the street
