Advertisement
Activism

Man Dressed as Gorilla Crawls London Marathon for Conservation Charity

Policeman dubbed “Mr Gorilla” expected to finish the London Marathon on his hands and knees later this week

Thousands who ran the London Marathon at the weekend are still nursing sore muscles.

But one man is still making his way slowly round the route.

Policeman Tom Harrison, dubbed Mr Gorilla, is crawling through the capital on his hands and knees to raise money for conservation charity The Gorilla Organization.

Harrison has been doing 10 to12 hours each day before resting up at friends’ homes, and is expected to finish Thursday or Friday. The 41-year-old has a fundraising target of £2,000, which would pay for a team of rangers and supplies to protect gorillas in Eastern Congo for three months.

When Tom sets his heart to do something, he absolutely does it

He has already completed a series of big challenges for the charity, including the Great Gorilla Run and Tough Mudder. “I thought he was mad at first, but you know when Tom sets his heart to do something, he absolutely does it,” said Jillian Miller, director of The Gorilla Organization.

Several members of The Big Issue team also ran the London Marathon this weekend, raising more than £5,000 in total.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Adrian Lobb and Chris Stead raised money for The Big Issue Foundation, the independent charity that works with vendors and connects them to vital support services. Andrew Burns ran for Anthony Nolan, the blood cancer charity and bone marrow register.

Vendor George Anderson was on hand to congratulate The Big Issue runners with their gold medals at the finishing line. “It was a great achievement, and they’ve inspired me to think about running next year,” said George.

Advertisement

Change a vendor's life this Christmas

This Christmas, 3.8 million people across the UK will be facing extreme poverty. Thousands of those struggling will turn to selling the Big Issue as a vital source of income - they need your support to earn and lift themselves out of poverty.

Recommended for you

Read All
Malala Yousafzai on taking on the Taliban and why 'storytelling is the soul of activism'
Malala Yousafzai
Activism

Malala Yousafzai on taking on the Taliban and why 'storytelling is the soul of activism'

How Mexico's women hijacked Día de los Muertos to remember the missing and the murdered
The Day of the Dead Women protests in Mexico City in 2021
Activism

How Mexico's women hijacked Día de los Muertos to remember the missing and the murdered

TV legend Carol Vorderman on death, social media and why she's still voice of the opposition
Exclusive

TV legend Carol Vorderman on death, social media and why she's still voice of the opposition

I'm an Israeli who helped survivors of 7 October attack. Here's why we need a ceasefire in Gaza
War in Gaza

I'm an Israeli who helped survivors of 7 October attack. Here's why we need a ceasefire in Gaza

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue