Two draymen delivering beer to pubs across Salford are completing hundreds of press-ups each day to raise money for a children’s hospice.
When your working day already involves delivering 10,000 tons of beer to boozers around the North West, most people would think you’d done quite enough physical exercise.
But for Sam Higham and Steve Reeves, draymen with local brewery Joseph Holt, the hard graft does not stop when the barrels are rolled into the cellar.
The pair have become known as “The Press-Up Guyz” due to them dropping to the ground outside every pub on their daily route to different Salford drinking holes to complete press-ups in aid of Francis House Children’s Hospice.
In the pouring rain, freezing cold or with uneven ground beneath them, they manage to rack up as many as 400 press-ups each between deliveries.
Sam, 26, and Steve, 56, have now done press-ups outside nearly all of Joseph Holt’s 127 pubs across Manchester and the North West.
“It started as a way of getting fit for the Great Manchester Run 2026,” said Sam.
“But we were already running this 10K in aid of Francis House, and it soon became clear this was another way of raising extra donations.
“When we were doing our press-ups, people passing the pubs would stop, ask what we were doing and make donations. Some even joined in!”
For Steve, who also completed the Manchester run which took place on Sunday 31 May there is an extra layer of challenge involved.
“There’s 30 years between me and Sam,” he joked. “And I’m also a grandad. But that spurs me on even more, even though I’ve had two knee operations in the past! And it’s such a good cause. I’ve always been quite competitive, so it makes me even more determined when Sam’s doing it too.”
What began as around 30 press-ups a day has now escalated to as many as 400 daily, with the pair completing more than 10,000 press-ups in the last two months alone.
The Didsbury-based charity, which provides specialised care for children with life-limiting conditions and support for their families, is one of four designated charities nominated by Joseph Holt for its annual fundraising appeal.
The others are Derian House Children’s Hospice, Wood Street Mission, and the Fylde Kids Foundation and this year the 176-year-old brewery aims to raise £250,000 for the four charities.
Phil Parkinson, head brewer at Joseph Holt Brewery, said: “We’re incredibly proud of Sam and Steve and everything they’ve done for this year’s appeal. Doing press-ups is never easy, especially outdoors in all weathers, and that’s on top of their already physically demanding job delivering our beer.
“The fact they show no sign of stopping says everything about the community spirit at Joseph Holt and our commitment to helping people in the communities where our pubs are based. We know their tremendous efforts will raise lots of money for such a deserving cause as Francis House.”
Kate Puc, fundraising officer of Francis House Children’s Hospice said: “On behalf of Francis House and the hundreds of children and families who receive our care and support I would like to express our thanks to Steve and Sam the Press Up Guyz, and to everyone sponsoring them in their challenge.
“We are incredibly grateful for all their hard work and enthusiasm in raising vital funds for our hospice. As the children’s hospice for Greater Manchester, local families come to us for respite from the stresses and strains of difficult times.
“Through the support of Joseph Holt and the generosity of the local community, we can help seriously ill children and their families live every moment to the full. Thank you for raising a wonderful amount of money.”
More information about their fundraising effort can be found here.
