Dunedin residents were shocked after spotting a man running through the city in nothing but his undies, but it turns out he was not your typical streaker.
Running through Dunedin half naked is not a typical hobby for Joe Cooke.
Cooke is raising money for Cancer Society and Mental Health Foundation, two charities he said are close to his heart, knowing friends and family affected by cancer and mental illness.
Equipped with a skateboard, a support crew following in a truck and Luna the dog, Cooke set off on a 30-kilometre run/skate from Harrington Point to Dunedin Rugby Club on Sunday.
"The day I did it was really cold, it actually snowed," Cooke said. "A lot of people were shocked, I got a lot of honks from cars."
Cooke said he decided on the "goofy" way of fundraising to gain more attention to the cause while getting a bit of a laugh from unsuspecting locals.
He set up a temporary account for the funds, raising over his target of $1000.
Cooke has built a bit of a fan base along the way with sightings from confused residents appearing on local community pages and causing a lot of chatter.
"[I did it] to have a bit of fun and be different," Cooke said. "You get noticed for it."
Both Cancer and Mental Health affect many New Zealanders.
One in five adults is diagnosed with a mood and/or anxiety disorder and every day 71 Kiwis are diagnosed with cancer.
Through fundraising charities like Mental Health Foundation and Cancer Society can support New Zealanders and their whānau.
