Reverend beats P.Diddy and David Walliams to third world record (From Croydon Guardian)

Croydon reverend beats P.Diddy and David Walliams to third world record

9:20am Tuesday 18th September 2012 in News By Nick Hitchens

A reverend has made the Guinness Book of Records for the third time after raising a staggering £2.3m for running the London Marathon.

Rev Steve Chalke MBE features in the world famous book, published last week, alongside entries such as the World’s Biggest Dog, and the man with the biggest biceps.

Amazingly it is his third world record, for the amount raised for charity during a single event.

Rev Chalke, of St Augustine Avenue, said: "It is great. I think I've featured before, just as a small mention but this time they have a picture and everything which is quite something."

The founder of the Oasis Trust, which runs two academies in Coulsdon and Shirley, as well as Byron Primary School also in Coulsdon, raised the money for to be used for pastoral works within his foundation's schools.

It was not the first time Rev Chalke, 56, broke the £1m barrier raising £1.25m in 2005 to first earn a mention in the Guinness Book of Records.

His total was beaten by five time rowing Olympic gold medal winner Sir Steve Redgrave in 2006, but Rev Chalke just upped his game and took back the record the following year collecting £1.85m for running the London Marathon.

He said: "I set up the foundation in 1985 and it is just a case of all the contacts I have made since then. You don't just go to someone and ask for half a million, you have to go to them for £10 first and show you have used the money well."

But when he crossed the finish line at this last year’s London Marathon, he beat his own record for the third time, raising more than £2.3 million.

He added he thought the record would exist for a long time.

He said: "I think it will be very hard to beat. P.Diddy tried it in the States and managed about £1.5m, you've had David Walliams and others try to raise a lot. It is not easy."