Be Inspired by Britain's Biggest Fundraisers

Ahead of the JustGiving Awards 2015 we highlight their extraordinary achievements

James Rudolf with his son, Oscar, who was diagnosed with cancer last year. (JustGiving)

JustGiving – the social giving platform partner of the Happy List – is about to hold its annual award ceremony.

Like the Oscars of the fundraising world, the event heralds the triumphs of people up and down the country who have raised money and public awareness of some really worthwhile causes.

So, with just a week to go we are highlighting the amazing achievements of all the finalists by telling their stories on our Happy List pages.

James Rudolf, who has been nominated in the Creative Fundraiser category, ran 160 miles from London to his home in Cardiff – the day after completing the London Marathon.

James tackled the herculean task to raise money for LATCH, a Welsh children’s cancer charity which supported his son Oscar.

Oscar, who is six, was diagnosed with cancer last year; since then he has been fighting against it and LATCH has been looking after him.

“I was fundraising for LATCH specifically because they'd supported my son and our family,” says James. “I've seen the work they've done in supporting other families and children in similar situations.”

James participated in the London Marathon and the following day - Oscar’s sixth birthday - he started the five-day run back home, covering around 32 miles a day. He finished at the University Hospital Wales, where Oscar is being treated.

“The most challenging aspect, I think, was making sure I was prepared enough in advance. There was lots of training involved, but when that alarm went off at 5 o'clock on a cold, wet Cardiff morning, it took a lot of mental power to get out of bed and actually go out and train. I think knowing very clearly the reason I was doing it, and what it meant, and the difference it would make to the charity, LATCH, was the motivating factor there,” he said.

James raised more than £76,000 of his £50,000 target.

“Looking back at the challenge and the money raised, I feel that we've achieved something quite special, because LATCH is a small charity, it works hard to raise its funds, it spends them carefully, it has very low costs, but it makes a huge difference to people at a very difficult time in their lives.”

Anyone wishing to can donate to James’s Just Giving page at: https://www.justgiving.com/James-Rudolf1/.

For more information on the LATCH charity visit: http://www.latchwales.org/.