Mr Selfie’s grand fundraiser is done in an instant!
A LLANELLI bus driver known as ‘Mr Selfie’ has already hit his £1,000 target just 79 days into his year-long fundraiser.
Keith Thomas, who is originally from Swansea, set himself the challenge of taking a selfie every day for a year to raise funds for the Wales Air Ambulance.
He did a similar challenge four years ago and raised £3,700 for Marie Curie.
As well as taking selfies, the grandfather-of-seven also took part in the charity’s special 20th birthday fundraiser My20 with his wife, retired schoolteacher Jane.
The Wales Air Ambulance celebrated its 20th anniversary on March 1 and to acknowledge the milestone the charity created a new fundraising event called My20.
My20 allowed people to set themselves a challenge, task or activity that relates to the number 20, which they would complete during March.
Keith, who works for bus company First Cymru, hoped to reach his fundraising target when he and his twin brother Kevin turn 60 on July 8.
Speaking about smashing his target, Keith, said: “I was hoping to reach my target before I was 60, which is in July. I never imagined that I would raise £1,000 in 79 days.
“It is an awesome feeling, and every penny raised the rest of the year is a bonus.
“I was furloughed for two weeks, so rather than sit down and do nothing, my wife and I decided to walk two miles a day and complete 20 miles in 10 days for the My20 challenge and we completed it in nine days.”
Due to current government restrictions, Keith had to adapt his selfie-taking to include the twometre social distancing rule and he has also contacted people to ask them to submit a selfie.
Even celebrities have been happy to take part in the challenge.
Those who have taken a selfie for Keith include Coronation Street actors Will Mellor and Shobna Gulati, TV presenter Eamonn Holmes, rugby legends Jonathan Davies and Scott Quinnell, ITV Wales weather and news presenter Kelsey Redmore, BBC Radio Wales’s Claire Summers and the channel’s weather presenters Sue Charles, Derek Brockway and Behnaz Akhgar, along with actress and radio presenter Sarah Champion and Carmarthen-born comedian Mike Doyle.
Keith, who is enjoying doing the selfie challenge, said: “Everyone loved the challenge and so many people were excited to be involved.
“Even now, I have people asking me if they can have a selfie with me – that is my unofficial title, Mr Selfie.”
“Thank you to everyone who has answered my plea and submitted a selfie for me to use.”
A former plumber, Keith was forced to have a career change after his ill health made it impossible to continue in that profession.
He was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2008, which resulted in him being rushed into hospital four years ago and having major surgery to remove his bowel.
Wales Air Ambulance South Wales fundraising co-ordinator Jane Griffiths said: “Congratulations to Keith on reaching his target during his third month of fundraising.”
People can follow Keith via his Twitter page @ keiththom2014 or his Facebook page ‘Keith’s 2021 Selfie Challenge’. To take a selfie and donate, visit Keith’s his JustGiving page www.facebook.com/ selfie365me2021