A SOUTHEND charity man is doing a 3-month sponsored silence to raise money for three chosen charities.

Lee Clark will be taking on a 3-month sponsored silence at his work, in Tesco’s, to fundraise for Cancer Research, Diabetes UK, and the British Heart Foundation.

This is the 15th year that the Southend resident will be taking on the challenge.

Lee Clark said how the challenge works: “In 2008, I did my first ever sponsored silence of which I only did for one shift, as at work and in general I like to talk, so it was a really good fundraiser.

“So, every year since then I've decided to increase it, I am up to 3 months at work where I am silent.

“I have a bucket on my till, I have cardboard round my neck explaining what I am doing and who I am doing it for and then have questions written down that I would need to ask customers while working.

“This is one fundraiser that customers and my colleagues look forward to every year for silence from me!”

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Mr Clark has set a target to try and raise a total of £250,000 by 2026 throughout all his fundraisers that he has ever done; he is currently at £176,000.

He added how out of all the challenges he takes on, the sponsored silence is the hardest.

Echo: Silence - Lee last year on his sponsored silence.

“This is the hardest challenge, out of all the fundraising challenges I do, because I do like to talk, and so it is frustrating that I can't enjoying joining in with my colleagues and their conversations or being able to chat to customers.

“I find it really difficult, it is a struggle, I do really struggle with it, I just literally don't exist in a sense as I am just watching anything go round me and I have to be quiet in distance

“I dread this one, but it does so well for the fundraisers and so of course I have to do it, but it is the hardest one for me.

To donate to Lee for his sponsored silence you need to visit the Tesco Express store on Southchurch Road.