Mad Max: TikTok user undertakes gruelling challenges to donate one million meals to food banks
Max McCann tells ITV News Meridian's Kara Digby how his family's own use of food banks inspired him on the journey to donate a million meals
A TikTok user from Tadley, Hampshire, is on a mission to donate one million meals to families in need.
Max McCann is taking on a series of gruelling physical challenges voted for by his two million-strong following.
The Mad Max challenge has so far seen him complete tasks like 1,000 squats in a day, or bench pressing 20kg 1,000 times.
Any money donated then goes towards buying ingredients for meal kits, which he then delivers to food banks from Basingstoke to Kent.
After his own experience growing up, Max says he knows the difference it can make.
Max said: "We grew up in a bad financial situation. We didn't have enough money to put food on the table and there was often times my mum went without her dinner just so that we could eat.
"When I was young a lot of that was jealousy and frustration at the time - looking at others that had what obviously I didn't. But a big part of this is essentially using that problem that we faced as a purpose to help others that are in the current position that they're in."
In lockdown he built up his TikTok presence by teaching others how to make healthy meals on a budget - but now he is going a step further.
As well as providing a meal for a family of four, each kit also signposts people to Help Bank, which offers free support for people to set up their own businesses at home.
Max has also got the full support of his family, often helping him pack up the food using space offered by Ufton Court.
Having used food banks while working to support six children, his mum Jane McCann knows just how much this challenge means.
His mum Jane said: "When you're in that situation as a parent you feel quite bad that you're in that situation and you're struggling to provide for your own children - and then sometimes - just somebody offering you a hand - it can make all the difference and the feeling of being able to give back what we once received - is just an amazing feeling to be able to do that..."
Future challenges will see Max cycle 150 miles in a day and attempt a 100-metre handstand walk - all towards his goal of providing a million meals to families in need.
Jane added: "Yes it is crazy but it's nothing unusual for Max - he quite often does random things. He's always been hyperactive with loads of energy - so it's nice that he's challenging it."
Max said: "If I'm getting up and think that I've got to do a thousand bench presses today because it means I'm going to raise money for someone that's currently starving - that gives me a whole lot more motivation and purpose to do it and push on."