"GIVING just a little will not solve the world’s problems, but it does make a difference, and at the end of your day, you can look back and say, 'At least I tried'."
Having spent the past 40 years of his life participating in over 600 fundraising events that have generated more than £1m for charity, Armagh man Willie Nugent has certainly 'tried' his best to make a difference.
From various local charities to AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis and animal charities, Willie has used his imagination, humour and determination in his various fundraising efforts.
His unconventional methods include crawling for 16 miles, carrying a bucket of water on his head for seven miles, rocking in a rocking chair for 26 hours, and pushing a pea with his nose for two-and-a-half miles – and repeatedly scraping it in the process.
"The bit of danger created more of a challenge, made things more interesting and if I didn't succeed, at least I was giving others a laugh," laughs the 68-year-old former hospital porter, who first got "hooked" on fundraising when invited he found himself volunteering for a sponsored cycle ride from Donegal to Armagh – even though he didn't even own a bike at the time.
The maverick, yet extremely humble, Willie credits his late parents for instilling a compassionate attitude into his heart.
"My parents led by example. My mother helped people who are not well and told us never to turn our backs on anyone in need. My father used to say 'forget about the past, you can help change the future'."
In 1985, Willie broke the world record for standing motionless – remaining still for 13 hours at Trocadero Shopping Centre in London's Piccadilly Circus.
Although he used the publicity of being a world record holder to raise further funds for charity, he admits it was his schoolboy dream from the age of seven when his teacher at St Malachy’s Primary School, Mr Conney read his class weird records from the Guinness Book of Records.
From that day, he began day dreaming up all kinds of crazy ideas, such as flying around the world without a plane.
"Who had any idea that I’d go on to actually break a record, that it would open amazing doors for me and lead to crazier stunts?
"Who knew that my breaking a record would help me raise money for people who needed it, which underneath my fantasies of glory and fame, was all I ever wanted to do in the first place?" says Willie.
On that incredibly hot day in London, with sun radiating through the shop window, Willie had passers-by tempting him with ice creams.
At one point, he recalls feeling very light-headed and that he might have to give up.
"I was afraid that if I fainted I’d be liable to fall through the window and hurt someone," he recalls.
"I focused on my breathing, shallow breaths, so I wouldn’t move."
Willie puts his successes down to “mind over matter” and is grateful for his health. His physically taxing stunts – even standing still – take rigid discipline and training.
Through the years, his beloved dogs have kept him in shape and it was whilst watching Olympic distance winners thanking their trainers in 2008 that Willie realised that his dogs had made it possible for him to help so many.
He also realised there were many dogs less fortunate than his – and his Shaking Paws campaign was born.
Since then Willie has travelled the world, from Moscow to Tel Aviv to New York City, visiting animal shelters to shake paws with canine ambassadors, having raised £46,000 to date.
Another of Willie's fond memories is a sponsored cycle to Knock, to coincide with the Pope's visit to Ireland in October 1979, raising money for Action Cancer.
Over the years Willie has diligently kept scrapbooks and photo albums containing newspaper cuttings of all his fundraising efforts and adventures.
"I was worried one day I wouldn’t remember them," admits Willie who has collated his fundraising journey into a book A World of Good.
Willie is donating all proceeds to charity and has already helped MacMillan Cancer Support, Race Against MS, Alzheimer's Society, Dogs Trust Dublin and The VAFA Animal shelter in Iran.
He hopes the book will inspire others and his advise to fundraisers is "to be fit and have a plan."
:: World of Good: 550 Madcap Ways to Save the World by Willie Nugent is published by Gas Lane Press and is available to buy on Amazon or WillieNugent.com.
WILLIE'S GREATEST STUNTS
:: Walked 81.5 miles backwards in 24 hours in Armagh,
for local charities (June 1983)
:: Carried a bucket of water on his head for 16 miles in Northern Ireland to help build a well in drought-stricken Gambia (April 1985)
:: Ate 62 ice lollipops in one hour, for local charities (September 1986)
:: Rocked on a rocking horse non-stop for eight hours on the roof of the Armagh Health Centre to help buy an ECG machine (April 1987)
:: Ate 2,780 cold baked beans one at a time with a cocktail stick for local charity (June 1987)
:: Crawled on hands and knees around Trafalgar Square, London with a tray of pigeon seed strapped on his back, for Children with AIDS Charity (May 1999)
:: Dry Land Swim across the Ha’Penny bridge footpath in Dublin (April 2000)
