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Pig farmer's press-up fundraiser 'vital' for club

St Paul's Boxing Academy Two men holding an giant cheque in a boxing ring. The man on the right is slightly shorter and is wearing a blue checked shirt and grey trousers. On his face are spectacles. The man on the left is smiling and is wearing a grey blazer over a black shirt. There is a crowd of people behind them sitting at tables.St Paul's Boxing Academy
Richard Longthorp (right) handed a cheque for £8,750 to David Garness of St Paul's Boxing Academy

Some of the £20,000 raised by a pig farmer with Parkinson's disease during a press-ups challenge will help a boxing club stage more classes for people with the illness, an academy has said.

Richard Longthorp, 71, from Howden, East Yorkshire, led a group of volunteers to complete 750,000 press-ups in January.

A share of the money he has raised has been donated to two boxing clubs including St Paul's Boxing Academy, in Hull, which was presented with a cheque for £8,750 last month.

David Garness, chair of the trustees of St Paul's Boxing Academy, said the donation was "vital" to enable the club to "help more people in the community".

Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition that affects about 153,000 people in the UK.

Mr Longthorp was diagnosed eight years ago and took up boxing at the Hull club in 2022 to help manage his symptoms.

He later helped set up a dedicated boxing class for people with the illness called Parkinson's Punchers.

Following his daily 1,000 press-ups challenge in 2024, the farmer went on to set a new goal with help from volunteers.

Three men and a woman inside a boxing ring in a press up position facing the floor beneath them. The woman on the left has blonde hair and is wearing black-rimmed spectacles. She is also wearing a black top. The men are wearing blue shirts and you can see that two of them have dark tracksuit bottoms.
Mr Longthorp (centre) set himself the challenge of doing 1,000 press-ups every day throughout January

"We didn't quite reach the one million target, but managed around 750,000 which was quite an achievement," said Mr Longthorp.

"For me, the most important part of the challenge wasn't the final number, it was the personal stories which have come out of it. People pushing themselves way beyond what they thought they were capable of."

Some of the proceeds are also being donated to Goole Amateur Boxing Club, England Boxing and Parkinson's UK.

Mr Garness said: "St Paul's is a wonderful place. As a boxing gym, we have been producing champions since the 1940s and continue to do so to this day.

"But the club also helps countless people who will never box professionally, but just love the sport."

He said the funds would help the boxing club stage more classes for people with Parkinson's.

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