Top gamer streams for 16 hours in memory of his dad

One of the UK's top videogame streamers has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity in memory of his dad.

TheRunningManZ, whose first name is Paul and is from Suffolk, took part in a 16-hour stream to raise money for Alzheimer's Research UK.

The streamer said his dad, Albert, had been diagnosed with dementia before he died in January 2022.

It was his fifth time doing the stream – where people watch him play computer games – for the charity, and he said he was proud to have raised more than £110,800.

"My dad had dementia... he was the inspiration for these streams, but because I stream to an audience five days a week, people know me, they know my background, they know my reasons for doing it, and I do this stream once per year," he told BBC Radio Suffolk's Wayne Bavin.

"The first one I did was in December 2021, specifically for Alzheimer's Research UK, and since 2021, we've raised £330,000 in total in five streams, which is kind of crazy to think about.

"I'm very proud to be able to do it. I feel lucky that I've grown a following that allows me to do this."

According to Stream Charts, TheRunningManZ is the eighth most viewed streamer in the UK this year, and he went full-time as a streamer in 2016, typically playing the game DayZ.

His charity stream was broadcast on both his YouTube and Twitch channels, bringing in a total of 364,000 views.

Megan Ruddlesden, senior fundraising manager at Alzheimer's Research UK, said "everyone was blown away by the support from Paul and his generous online community".

"Fantastic fundraising efforts like Paul's will help us to make life-changing research breakthroughs and find a cure for dementia, giving hope to families and future generations," she said.

"We would sincerely like to thank Paul for his commitment to dementia research and everyone who contributed."

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