Bootle child abuse survivor takes on 24 hour fitness challenge to raise £5,000 for the NSPCC

A Bootle man who survived childhood sexual abuse has announced his latest fundraising challenge as he continues a year of incredible endurance events in support of the NSPCC.

Ian James has spent 2026 pushing himself to the limit to raise money for the children’s charity, completing three HYROX events, a gruelling 12 hour continuous workout, numerous back to back training sessions and 5K runs.

In May he tackled the “Deadly Mile”, a punishing workout made up of 400 metres of burpees, 400 metres of lunges, a 400 metre bear crawl and a 400 metre run.

More recently, Ian organised a charity football match that raised £500, taking his fundraising total for the year to £3,500.

Now he’s preparing for his next challenge, a 24 hour assault bike ride at Dual Fitness in Bootle on 15 and 16 August, with the aim of reaching his £5,000 fundraising target.

Ian said:

“The football match was very hot, but it was a great day and I’m really pleased with how much we raised. I’d love to get to £5,000 for the NSPCC and that’s looking achievable now.

“Next up will be a 24 hour assault bike challenge, where I’ll ride a stationary bike for a full day using only the air resistance created by my own pedalling.

“I’d love it if any other local gyms could lend me another assault bike or two so other people can jump on and join in for part of the challenge.”

Ian decided to dedicate 2026 to fundraising after choosing to turn his own experience of childhood abuse into something positive, helping to raise awareness and vital funds for the NSPCC’s work supporting children and young people across the North West and beyond.

His biggest challenge is still to come.

Later this year, Ian will walk 212 miles from the NSPCC’s headquarters in Shoreditch, London, to the charity’s Hargreaves Centre in Liverpool. He plans to cover around 30 miles a day, spending up to 14 hours walking each day.

Ian added:

“The planning is pretty much done now. I’ll probably be walking most of it on my own, but it would be brilliant if any NSPCC supporters wanted to join me for part of the route.”

Paula Marshall, Corporate Partnerships Manager at the NSPCC, said:

“Month by month, Ian’s determination to turn his childhood experience into something positive is proving to be incredibly inspiring.

“Ian is a remarkable person and we’re hugely grateful for everything he is doing to support the NSPCC.”

Ian is also appealing for any local gyms that could loan an assault bike for the August challenge, helping more people get involved throughout the 24 hours.

Anyone who would like to support Ian’s fundraising or help with the challenge can donate via his JustGiving page.

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