Aylesbury man raises thousands in unique way to support boy with fatal muscular disorder

A man from Aylesbury has raised thousands of pounds supporting a boy with a fatal muscular disorder.

Tom Vincent also known as ‘The Budget Workout Guy,’ has raised nearly £4,000 for William Eames’ charity, Defending William Against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy by launching his very-own online persona.

Each week, Tom posts videos online showing him running around Aylesbury in comical outfits including a Lion, Batman, and a St Patrick’s Day-themed Leprechaun number.

Tom wanted to get fit without paying for a gym membership and decided to start running. He also bought a second-hand home gym for £40 which gave him the idea behind ‘The Budget Workout Guy’.

On his first run, Tom came up with the idea of raising money for a charity whilst trying to get fit on a budget. He remembered a conversation with an old university friend who had told him about the Eames Family and their son, William who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Tom chose the charity after a conversation with William’s Mum, Jo Eames.

William was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in January 2016 at just three years old. DMD is one of the most common fatal genetic disorders to affect children around the world. Charity figures estimate that one in 3,500 boys are affected with DMD. It is described as a devastating, progressive and currently incurable muscle-wasting disease. Life-expectancy is improving as standards of care and knowledge about DMD increase however, there is currently no cure for DMD.

Every week Tom has managed to get a company to sponsor one of his outfits of that week and he then runs to raise awareness of his chosen cause. He also completes fitness classes in the sponsored gear. His posts can be found on Facebook.

Tom said: “I have been blown away with all the support and donations! I would like to thank everyone who has donated, beeped their car horn, and waved at me as it pushes me on and encourages me to keep doing it and raise more for William and his family.”

His fundraising page can be found online here.