THEY are both known for very different spins, but these two wonder women joined forces for a serious question of charity.
Phil Grant, 50, has raised more than £9,000 over the past four years by dressing as the female superhero Wonder Woman in aid of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.
Chris Grant
The Charlbury man, who started fundraising because his son Chris, 27, has a severe muscle-wasting condition, has been named the charity’s ‘champion’ for his unique efforts.
He was presented with the award by the charity’s president, BBC TV’s Question of Sport presenter Sue Barker.
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Mr Grant, who has taken part in about 100 collections for the charity, said: “When we first found out about Chris it was very difficult because there wasn’t as much information available then as there is now so I wanted to help the charity.
“It was great to get the award and meet Sue Barker. She was quite amused because I brought in a porfolio of pictures.”
His wife Debbie said: “It’s a bit embarrassing – Chris actually won’t go anywhere near him when he’s dressed up – but I’m very proud of him. He does 90 per cent of it on his own and manages to grab people’s attention.”
Phil Grant receiving his award from BBC presenter Sue Barker
Mr Grant said: “It’s just something that people of all ages readily recognise. It raises the money and makes people smile. When I’m at a train station and people come up to me asking what I’m doing, it catches people’s attention. I’m not very shy. I get numerous ladies coming up praising me for my effort and there’s been times when men tease me and do wolf whistles – but they’ll always put some money in the bucket.
“When I first started running Oxford’s Town and Gown in shorts and a T-shirt I raised £60, but wearing a costume I got £300 or £400.”
Mr Grant – who works in the purchasing and warehouse departments for a company that makes care equipment for the disabled – started running the Town and Gown 10km run in 1991 after Chris was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy when he was just three.
Chris, whose illness is terminal, is severely disabled as the disease causes his muscles to deteriorate.
Mr Grant, who also has a 26-year-old son called Michael, raised about £4,000 from running, before he started collecting each year wearing the Wonder Woman costume.
Since then he has raised £9,000 from collections across the county in supermarkets, train stations and on streets of, among other places, Cardiff.
On December 3, the Spirit of Christmas show, supported by the Oxford Mail’s sister paper The Oxford Times, will also be raising cash for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.
- Visit musculardystrophy.org or call 020 7803 2856.
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