Lincoln strongman’s latest charity truck pull raising money for terminally ill man

Lincoln strongman Dave Johnson will again be putting his strength to the test in a charity challenge this summer, raising money once again to help tick off the bucket list of a terminally ill young man.

Dave Johnson is a fundraising legend in the city of Lincoln, completing over a decade of challenges for various charities, following the tragic passing of his close friend Mark Browne in 2012.

Over the years, Dave’s charity events have seen him raise over £20,000 for good causes since 2011, raising awareness for mental health conditions in the process.

Dave pulling a truck as part of one of his many charity challenges.

He will be hosting a truck pull championship event in Lincoln on July 30 this year, with a series of mammoth tasks throughout the day in the hope of raising money for a cause close to his heart.

Last year he was moved by the story of a young man from Lincoln called Joshua Bilton, who has a terminal illness after being born with Williams syndrome and being told he has just over a year left to live.

A huge tick on Joshua’s bucket list as he got to meet one of his favourite wrestlers at a WWE show in London.

A bucket list was devised by Joshua and his family to try and make his final moments memorable, and on the list were things such as a trip to Disneyland, meeting his favourite WWE wrestlers and chatting with heavy metal group Slipknot – his favourite band.

Dave and fellow strongman Craig Collins hosted a truck pull event in October last year for Joshua’s bucket list, raising close to £2,000 in the process, and now Dave will be doing another charity event for the same cause.

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Numbers for the Lincolnshire Truck Pull Championships will be limited to 40 men and 10 women for now, with a £30 entry fee that covers costs for t-shirts and trophies for competitors. A location is yet to be announced but will be in due course.

There will be numerous stalls for face painting, food, and mental health awareness. Dave told The Lincolnite that the stigma around mental health is what prompts him to do these challenges.

“The mental health part is due to there being little to no support. I’ve suffered and been on meds 8 or so years. The past few months have been a big challenge.

“I think it needs speaking about to let people know they can speak out and support is available. It takes so many lives and is not taken seriously – which is why I’d like to include it this year.”

For more information and to keep up to date with progress of the event, visit the dedicated Facebook page.