Lincoln strongman prepares another big charity challenge

Lincoln strongman Dave Johnson is preparing for his next charity challenge with a log press and truck pull, part of a family friendly event to raise awareness and money for two good causes.

The 42-year-old first started his charity challenges when his close friend Mark Browne was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2010 and he has raised over £20,000 for good causes in the last decade.

Primal Life Gym will host Dave’s upcoming event between 10am-4pm on Saturday, October 29, in what he says will be a “fun packed family friendly event”. He will be doing the upcoming charity challenge in memory of two friends – Mark Browne and Damian Buckle.

Lincoln strongman Dave Johnson (far right) will complete the charity challenge in memory of his friends Mark Browne (left) and Damian Buckle (centre).

Every penny raised will be split between Happy Healthy Strong – a male mental health charity created by Primal Life Gym owner Ryan Croft – and the Salvation Army.

The main events on the day will be a log press with three weight options available – 31kg, 55,kg, and 75kg – to see the maximum reps people can do in 60 seconds.

There will also be a personal best deadlift that will allow everyone to work up to a potential new PB. This will involve eight lifters at a time and every minute the weight will go up, starting at 20kg and “working up until it’s last human standing,” Dave said.

Dave raised around £1,200 in his charity challenge – the Lincolnshire truck push/pull championships – this summer. | Photo: Brett Wright

Dave loves raising money for charities and good causes. | Photo: Brett Wright

There will also be a truck pull of a 15 tonne truck over 20 metres, in as fast a time as possible.

In addition, there will be mini challenges for the family, including lateral hold and push ups.

Entry to participate in the event costs £25, but the mini challenges are free to all with optional donations.

Around 10 people have already signed up and anyone wishing to enter the main events can sign up via the event page, pay on the day, or contact Primal Life Gym.

The participants from Dave Johnson’s last charity challenge in July 2022. | Photo: Brett Wright

Dave told The Lincolnite: “This is more of a family friendly, fun event and people with less experience can join in as we are not doing as heavy weights as usual.

“It is a fun day to raise awareness and money for two good causes, including mental health, which has affected me more in recent months.”

Dave usually holds charity challenge events in the summer and near Christmas, but the latter was brought forward to October due to a future planned operation.

This will be Dave’s second charity challenge of 2022, after he raised around £1,200 at his event – the Lincolnshire truck push/pull championships in July. The money raised went towards the bucket list of a terminally ill young man called Joshua Bilton, who has Williams Syndrome.

One of Dave’s previous charity challenge’s saw him pull a Lancaster aircraft.

Happy Healthy Strong charity

Ryan Croft, owner of Primal Life Gym and founder of male mental health charity Happy Healthy Strong, is on a mission to improve people’s mental health through physical health.

He told The Lincolnite that his charity provides a blended approach to mental health for men using a mix of resources and physical training as a platform to improve mental health.

After going through what he describes as a full mental and physical breakdown seven years ago, Ryan said he lost everything including his partner and home.

Ryan said that during lockdown as more men killed themselves within social circles he knew, he felt that something needed to be done and decided to launch his charity last year.

The 39-year-old’s plan for early next year is to start the expansion of his charity to quality 100 gym owners, personal trainers or fitness influencers to become mental health first aiders in Lincolnshire, and across the UK.

Ryan said: “The main reason behind this is personal trainers, gym owners and fitness coaches have a hands on touch point with people.

“The gym seems to be one of the areas men feel they can open up more. We are building an online 12-week foundation course so people can access tools remotely, and there will be a tribe session once a week at the accredited gyms.”

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