Defiant Optimism shares powerful conversations with everyday heroes who go above and beyond to raise awareness, and money, for causes close to their hearts. From ultra marathons, to world record breakers, and 24-hour dances, to English channel swims, these people put mind over matter to achieve the unachievable – and give back to others in the process. What does it truly mean to be a defiant optimist?
Jessica Mullins: I Rowed 3,000 Miles Across The Atlantic In 42 Days
Jessica Mullins and her teammates rowed the Atlantic at the beginning of 2022, taking part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. It's been dubbed the 'World's Toughest Row': a 3,000 mile mission from La Gomera, Spain to Antigua. It is an extreme endurance race dubbed one of the most challenging endurance races in the world. Jessica was the Skipper and Project Manager of their four mixed team, IN DEEP SHIP and she put their international team together two years ago. Overall, the...
3 Apr 2022
Yvonne Booth: I Created A '10 Peaks In 10 Hours' Challenge For MS
In 2011, Yvonne Booth designed and created the '10 in 10' challenge – to climb 10 peaks in 10 hours in the Lake District. She designed it as a response to her husband Duncan’s diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis in 2010 at the age of 39. Multiple Sclerosis is a debilitating neurological disease with no cure. As a wife and mother, she wanted to do something positive and help raise money for research into this cruel illness. Since then, Yvonne has run the event once a year – raising money for...
20 Mar 2022
Annie Brooks: ‘I Did 12 Challenges In 12 Months To Raise Awareness Of Epilepsy’
Annie Brooks is an award-winning blogger, who has been on a mission to raise awareness of her condition. She has epilepsy in the form of complex, simple and absence seizures. She was only diagnosed in 2012 after years of unknowingly suffering – she can be wide awake, but essentially, experiencing something ridiculously scary and unable to communicate. Before lockdown, she started doing 12 challenges in 12 months, to increase awareness of epilepsy. "My story is unique, and I hope inspirational...
6 Mar 2022
Putney Gumps: ‘We’ve Spent 15 Years Raising Thousands Through Running'
The Putney Gumps are two friends – Johnnie Wraith and Adam Constable – in London, who have been completing various running challenges over the past 15 years to raise money for charity. They've raised more than £250,000. In 2018, they completed 12 marathons in 12 months and raised over £76,000. Before that, they ran 126 miles over two races within a week, raising well over £36,000. They also ran the 65km Great Strides Ultra Marathon, raising over £10,000. Most recently, in 2021, t...
20 Feb 2022
Jacob Reddy: I Busked In Every Single City In England In 22 Days
16-year-old Jacob Reddy decided to use his summer holidays to busk in every city in England – all 51 of them – to raise money for a charity that looked after his brother. He performed in all weathers, with big audiences and small ones – and managed to raise nearly £10,000 in the process. Jacob was raising money for Derian House, a Chorley-based children’s hospice that provides respite and end-of-life care to more than 400 babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions...
6 Feb 2022
Andy Stone: I Did 35-Mile Triathlons For 35 Days
Andy Stone is on a triathlon challenge. He started with doing the "17s" (17-mile triathlons for 17 days), built up to the "35s" (35-mile triathlons in 35 days) and is now looking to achieve a World Record by completing the "70s" (70.3-mile triathlons in 70 consecutive days) – raising money along the way. He has already raised money for the Blue Marine Foundation, the Shark Trust and the Stroke Association through his challenges, and is looking to raise even more with latest challenge for me...
23 Jan 2022
Joanna Stokoe: I Swam The English Channel Solo
Joanna Stokoe raised more than £15,000 in a solo charity swim across the English Channel, completing the 21-mile swim in 15 and a half hours. As an oncologist, she chose to raise money for the Sussex Cancer Fund and the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation – two charities that are connected with her day-to-day work with cancer patients. She was preparing for the endurance swim for more than two years. On episode 4 of Defiant Optimism, we speak to her about what it took to train, what it's lik...
30 Nov 2021
Matt Bagwell: I Ran 21 Ultra Marathons In 21 Days
Matt Bagwell created an event called ‘Run the Country Ultra’, which saw him run more than 1m050km across England in September 2021 to raise funds and awareness for male suicide prevention and World Suicide Prevention Day. He ran 21 consecutive ultra marathons (an ultra marathon is a distance past 26 miles) across England and raised more than £50,000 for charity for CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably). Matt crossed 43 county borders in England before finishing in London on 5...
30 Nov 2021
Marcia Roberts: I Was The First Woman To Officially Cycle The LEJOGLE
At 54 years old, Marcia Roberts set a world record by cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats and back again, which is called the LEJOGLE. It took her 11 days, 13 hours and 13 minutes to do the incredible ride, and she was helped along the route with supports, friends and family. Marcia battled a lot through the ride, from Storm Francis (which came on day three) as well as saddle sores and a lack of sleep. She's raised more than £10,000 for her local mental health charity, Mind. ...
30 Nov 2021
Anne-Marie Martin: I Danced For 24 Hours Without Stopping
Anne-Marie Martin is a professional dancer and the founder of diddi dance, a national franchise network of dancing activities for children. In June 2020, she took on the challenge of dancing non-stop for 24 hours. The music started at 10am on Saturday 27 June, and ended on 10am on Sunday 28 June – and she had fellow diddi dancers, as well as friends and family, help her along the way. She was raising money for national children’s charity, Caudwell Children. Listen to our chat as we discuss ...
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