Dad legally changing name to Rubber Duck due to dare for a good cause

By Casey Peyton

A dad will legally change his surname to 'Rubber Duck' after his best friend dared him to.

Daniel Caldwell, 32, was challenged by 'lifelong friend' Curtis Lunt, 34, to change his last name if their charity fundraiser raised more than £3,000.

Last year, the pals raised £2,100 for their local children's hospice, Derian House by running a duck race and Daniel dared Curtis to get a tattoo of a rubber duck on his leg if they raised over £1,500.

This year it was Curtis' turn to come up with the dare and after raising £3,100 for the charity, Daniel has no choice but to fulfil his friend's wish.

Daniel, a chef from Ribchester, Lancashire, said: “I just joked about the dares for a couple of years and then obviously last year he [Curtis] had to get the tattoo.

"So I knew something was coming and our relationship is that strong and funny. I knew something big was coming like that."

His fiancé, Alicia Cann, 27, an interior designer, was "very shocked by the news".

Daniel said: “We are due to get married in 2027, so I’ll be changing my name for the year. She’s very supportive of the crazy things I do."

Despite Daniel's new name being put onto his driving licence, he says he "never gets embarrassed about anything," so isn't fazed and focuses on the overwhelming support he has received for the fundraiser.

Curtis, who now sports a rubber duck tattoo on his leg, came up with the idea for Daniel to change his name as the duo had joked about it in passing.

Curtis, who runs The Golden Lion pub in Higher Wheelton, from Brinscall, Lancashire, said: “I couldn’t let the duck tattoo go by without some revenge.

“So this year, I have a dare for Dan. If we can raise more than £3,000 for Derian House, Dan will have to legally change his middle name to ‘Rubber Duck’.

“It’s even funnier because Dan will have to have it on his passport and driving license, and he’s due to get married in 2027 – I’d love to hear Daniel Rubber Duck read out at the altar.”

The duck race took place last weekend on July 13 and 722 rubber ducks raced down Brinscall Goit.

Daniel, who is dad to Olive, six, said she "absolutely loved" the race day.

This week, he will receive the paperwork and then look at setting the date to change his name for a year.

The children’s hospice, Derian House, which they fundraised for provides end-of-life care to children and young people across the North West.

Daniel said: “It’s a local charity to where we’re based. Me and Curtis visited and were taken away with it, it was unreal. It’s such a nice place that needs help and support, because the funding is so important for the children.

“It was incredibly humbling. Learning about the Sunflower rooms where children can lie at rest was just something else," Curtis added.

The pair plans to hold another exciting fundraiser next year, and Daniel is already planning a new huge dare.

He said: “I can't say anything about it because I need to confirm it. But I can guarantee that it will be a pretty big knock out of a dare.”

Marie Fishwick, Community Fundraiser at Derian House, said: “We’re absolutely quackers about the support from Curtis and Daniel. Once again the Brinscall duck race will not only raise vital funds for our families, but will raise awareness of what we do here at Derian House too.

“Care is free to families at Derian House, but it will cost £6million to run the hospice this year. We rely on our kind-hearted supporters to raise 70p in every £1 as we only receive a small amount of funding from the government.”

Derian House Children’s Hospice, based in Chorley, Lancashire, cares for more than 400 babies, children, young people and their families from across the North West, helping them to make the most of every moment. Find out more: www.derianhouse.co.uk