Want to fundraise with a difference? You don't get much more different than these
1. Consume a cactus
Despite being described as the vegetarian equivalent of consuming a porcupine, cactus eating has seen a spike in popularity. Competitive eater the LA Beast, who previously ate the world’s hottest chilli and 36 raw eggs still in their shell, started the craze to raise money for children’s charities in the USA.Once completed, the gauntlet is now laid down for others to endure.
2. Run a marathon with a fridge on your back
Tony ‘The Fridge’ Phoenix-Morrison from Tyneside has a mission. To run marathons with a six-and-a-half-stone fridge tied to his back. He’s already completed many, raising money for cancer charities among others. Morrison also claims to have run the furthest distance in 24 hours while carrying a fridge – 67.1 miles (107.9km) – which he did non-stop around the quayside in Newcastle in April 2013.
3. Sleep on all of Scotland's 162 islands
Andy Strangeway set himself this challenge in 2003 and completed it in 2007. He wrote a book about it. He then slept on the 52 highest points in England and Wales – 49 in his bivy bag. And raised thousands for charity in the process.
4. Escape From Alcatraz
Nobody ever escaped alive from the shores of Alcatraz. Now, each June, 2,000 of the world’s best triathletes assemble in San Francisco to try. The security isn’t what it was, but this triathlon still involves a 2.4km swim, a 29km bike leg, and a 13km run. Go for it.
5. Run the Marathon Du Medoc
Do all of the above then treat yourself to this pleasurably painful experience. Described as a mixture between Mardi Gras, Woodstock and Halloween, the course, in Pauillac France, starts with a sip of wine before navigating through vineyards, 22 refreshment stands and 21 food stands serving beef, oysters and ice cream.A red carpet decorates the last 100 metres of the race.
