Bruised, exhausted and lying on the tarmac with grazed knees and elbows, Bradford charity fundraiser Nazim Ali BEM could finally smile.
Moments earlier he had thrown everything into a trademark sprint for the finish of the Blackpool 10K, only to trip spectacularly and crash across the line.
But despite the dramatic ending, the race had achieved something far bigger than a finishing time.
The Bradford humanitarian has now raised more than £6,365 through the challenge – enough to provide 159 live goats for families living in extreme poverty in Malawi; and, in doing so, has passed the extraordinary milestone of £1.6 million raised for charity over the past 14 years.
Every painful step was for families who struggle to put food on the table.
Each goat costs just £40, providing fresh milk for children, improving nutrition and giving families livestock that can breed, creating a sustainable source of food and income.
Later this year, Ali will personally travel to Malawi on a self-funded humanitarian mission to distribute the goats himself.
Only then does the scale of Sunday’s achievement become clear.
Running in sweltering 23-degree heat, heavy humidity and with little shade along Blackpool’s exposed promenade, Ali was already carrying a groin strain and a calf injury before his right hip began to seize up during the closing stages of the race.
Still, he refused to stop. On Sunday 12th July, he completed the 10K in 1 hour, 1 minute and 29 seconds, finishing beneath the shadow of the iconic Blackpool Tower before stumbling over the finish line.
“I just flew through the air,” he laughed afterwards.
“Thankfully nothing was broken. I came away with grazed elbows and knees, but after everything that happened, I was just grateful to get across the finish line.”
The route took runners from the Comedy Carpet towards Blackpool Pleasure Beach before looping back again, offering little escape from the relentless sunshine.
“It was brutal,” he admitted. “The heat simply drains your energy.”
By the eight-kilometre mark, every stride had become a battle.
“My right hip was really starting to hurt. I had to dig deep.”
Standing on the sidelines was close friend Mohammed Azeem, who had travelled to Blackpool simply to support him.
Nazim says he would not have finished without him.
“To borrow a football phrase, he was my ’12th man’. His encouragement kept me going when my body wanted to stop.”
The race itself lasted just over an hour, but the challenge had begun weeks earlier.
Training through Britain’s heatwave was already difficult before injury struck. First came a groin strain. Then, just over a week before race day, he picked up a calf injury that left him wondering whether he would even make the starting line.
“But when people are relying on you, you don’t look for excuses,” he said. “You simply keep going.”
Ali personally paid every penny of his race entry fee and travel costs, ensuring 100 per cent of every donation goes directly to the Malawi appeal through the Nazim Ali Foundation in partnership with Green Crescent Aid UK.
“I always cover my own costs because I want people to know their donations are making the biggest possible difference.”
The £1.6 million milestone is one Ali says he never imagined reaching.
“I never set out chasing numbers,” he said. “I simply wanted to help people. Every pound raised represents someone’s kindness and generosity.”
His connection with Malawi stretches back years.
During his first self-funded visit in 2019, he met families living in remote villages without electricity, where many survive on one meal a day and nutritious food is scarce.
“I’ll never forget the gratitude in people’s eyes,” he said. “Something as simple as a goat can completely change a family’s future.”
Away from his charity work, Ali works full-time as a careers adviser in three inner-city schools, taking annual leave for every overseas aid mission. Closer to home, he also runs the Nazim Ali Foundation Khidma Community Kitchen, serving hot meals each week to homeless and vulnerable people across Bradford.
His dedication has earned national recognition. In 2025 he received the British Empire Medal in the King’s New Year Honours, while the University of Bradford awarded him an Honorary Fellowship for his contribution to charity and community service.
Yet Ali insists the latest milestone is not the finish line.
“There are still families waiting for help,” he said. “As long as people continue supporting me, I’ll continue doing everything I can.”
He also thanked long-standing supporters Saveco Cash & Carry, led by Haji Shiraz Ahmed, and Arme (King of Steaks)for once again backing his fundraising efforts.
“For me, the real heroes are the people who donate,” he said.
“Without them, none of this would be possible. Every goat, every home we’ve built, every child we’ve helped- it all begins with someone choosing to care.”
Donations remain open through JustGiving, with £40 providing one live goat for a family in Malawi. Supporters will receive video feedback showing exactly where their donation has made a difference. Visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/naz500 for more information.
