Image: Peake family/Tearfund
Judah Peake, a 10-year-old from Macclesfield, completed a 1,000 press-up fitness challenge in one month and raised more than £2,500 for Tearfund, the international aid and development charity. Judah set himself the task of completing 1,000 press-ups throughout August. His father, Robin, 40, told the same publication that the family wants the children to understand that not everyone is born with the same privilege, and to be aware of people in the world who need help. Robin also set an incentive, if Judah reached his £1,000 target, the family would double it.
Because it sounded extremely hard, and he admitted he could barely manage them at first, although each day he added more and found it slightly easier, he picked the number.
He told Good News Post that his church already works with the charity, which made him want to help too. By the end, he said, he felt a real sense of achievement. Stuart Lee, the charity’s fundraising and communications director, told Good News Post that what Judah achieved over the summer showed “such commitment and grit”. He added that it is encouraging to see young people who are passionate about fundraising and who think of those with less than themselves, and said he is eager to see which challenge Judah takes on next.
His sponsored press-up challenge shows how child fundraisers can turn a personal fitness goal into practical charity support, proving that age is no barrier to making a charitable impact. The money supports people affected by disaster, conflict and extreme poverty around the world. The challenge combined fitness training, family encouragement and global giving within a single month. Anyone who would like to support his fundraising can donate online through his JustGiving page. The idea began during the summer holidays, when Judah and his family were attending a Christian festival. The conversation turned to how they could support people in difficult circumstances around the world, including those affected by the situation in Venezuela. Judah decided he wanted to do something practical about it and chose Tearfund as the recipient. His football coach had also encouraged him to get fitter, so he saw the challenge as a way to reach both goals at once. He kept going wherever he was, including on a family hike to the summit of Snowdon, where he squeezed some in along the way. The fundraiser quickly became a family affair. Judah and his family attend Holy Trinity Church in Hurdsfield, and his cousins joined in and cheered him on throughout the challenge. He described the result as amazing. Tearfund has publicly praised Judah’s effort. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.