A local man who has donated much of his time to raise money for charity, is to take a step back from active fundraising due to health concerns after collecting more than £50,000 in recent years.

Weymouth resident, Graham Butler, has made the decision to step back from front-line fundraising after recently raising £22,685 and 51 pence for Tommy’s Charity which helps disadvantaged babies.

Overall Mr Butler has raised around £52,000 for charities. Last September saw he took part in the inaugural London Landmarks Skyscraper Challenge, which meant he had to run up 1,092 steps of the Leadenhall Building in the capital, known as the Cheese-grater, followed by an abseil of 224m from the outside of the building.

Mr Butler then collaborated with Sellebrity Soccer to bring a star-studded line-up of celebrities to the Avenue Stadium in Dorchester. The team’s, of which one was managed by reality T.V. star Calum Best, raised the money for Tommy’s, and saw Mr Butler play more than 40 minutes of the match himself.

He admitted that both feats were more impressive because he has little, to no, cartilage in his left knee and was diagnosed with early onset arthritis in both knees.

Mr Butler, whose other efforts include completing the London Marathon in 2015, half marathons, long distance bike rides, body waxing, beard and moustache growths, charity football matches, announced that he is now ‘stepping back’ from his efforts, to help maintain a future way of life.

He said: “I have always enjoyed helping others that are less fortunate than myself, but my knees aren’t what they used to be and some of the challenges I have done, have taken their toll on them.

“So it’s time for me to step aside and let the next generation of fundraisers come through. I will still be helping to organise events, but my competitive efforts have definitely had their final hurrah,

Mr Butler went on to say that he will still be organising charitable events to continue, including another Sellebrity Soccer game, coming back to the Avenue on Sunday, June 30. The money this time will be raised for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and local Dorset based charity, the Lexi May Trust.