Another appeal

So for anyone who has not seen it, here is the article (minus the embarrassing video!) about the challenge (I really should be calling this a "quest" rather than a "challenge" after the name of the blog and the just giving site but that just seems overly dramatic.) If you can donate then please do! It's for a great cause. Link is www.justgiving.com/james-nicholls2. Thanks!

Nantwich Dr Who fan takes on epic challenge of watching 900 episodes for cancer charity

By Hannah Hulme

SCI-FI fan James Nicholls is halfway through his epic challenge of watching 900 episodes of Doctor Who and its spin-off series for charity.

The 28-year-old 'Whovian' yesterday notched up his 490th episode of the BBC programme, The Stones of Blood Part Four.

 

James took up the challenge on November 23 2011 to raise as much cash as possible for Macmillan Cancer Support.

He plans to watch every episode ever made since the show first aired in 1963, right up to the present day including Torchwood and the Sarah Jane Adventures – a total viewing time of around 420 hours.

He will watch one episode every day until he runs out – and so far he has never missed a day.

James, who works for Newcastle-based Barringtons Chartered Accountants, said: "My friends think I'm a bit crazy. It's harder than you might think to make sure I actually see an episode every single day.

"If I go away I have to make sure the episodes are downloaded to my iPhone, or I can get online. There was one time where I was caught in town in an evening and knew I wouldn't be able to make it home, so I had to find it on Youtube where I was.

"I've got to a point where I would be really gutted if I missed a day."

James, from Nantwich, first became interested in the Time Lord's intergalactic adventures when the BBC picked up the series again with the ninth Doctor, Christopher Eccleston in 2005.

James, whose favourite Doctor is Patrick Troughton, said: "I decided one day that instead of watching random episodes out of order I should start from the beginning. But I thought if I'm going to do that, I should raise some cash for charity.

"There are some days when I wish I'd never started, but now I'm halfway through I'm not giving up."

In addition to raising cash for Macmillan Cancer Support through sponsponsorship, James is selling handmade Tom Baker-style scarves in aid of the Blurton-based Douglas Macmillan Hospice.

He added: "I took up knitting while I was revising for some exams years ago. So far I've made £50 from the scarves." James's challenge is expected to finish in spring 2014.

Beverly Smith, Staffordshire's fund-raising manager for Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "It's fantastic that James has taken on such a quirky way of raising money for us."

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/james-nicholls2.