IN 2004, a Sydney man who had just returned from London, down on his luck and with nobody to greet him at the airport, decided to stand alone in crowded Pitt Street Mall holding up a sign with “free hugs” written on it.

He went by the name of “Juan Mann” (one man) and his idea caught the attention of people all over the world, thanks to over 100 million Youtube viewers watching him on video.

One person inspired by what Juan Mann could accomplish is James Butcher, Canberra’s own “free hugs guy”, who gives complimentary comfort to strangers in Garema Place on Friday afternoons after 2pm. He’s been doing it since last September and has no plans to stop, despite threats, insults and actual violence.

“If people ask me why I’m doing this, the simple answer is because it’s nice and people like it,” says Butcher.

“But the deeper answer is I see it as a humanist gesture of acceptance. This is an activity about being able to give a hug and receive one at the same time… you get something from people, equally, through the experience.”

The 34-year-old mental health support worker first gave free hugs at North Sydney train station, on a break from a self-improvement course where he was challenged to go out and “do something for yourself, somebody else or for the community”. Feeling a little awkward, he managed about 25 hugs in 35 minutes – a figure which he confidently plucks from memory.

“I keep rough numbers on what I do,” Butcher explains, taking out a tiny notepad and reciting some of the figures scribbled inside. “I’m an analyst at heart, so I couldn’t help myself.”

Over eight months, he’s put 56 hours into it and given 2434 hugs. On average, he waits just 1.37 seconds before his first hug.

While we’re talking, he gives seven hugs and deserves the credit for inspiring several more. What he and other free-huggers achieve by this is epitomised in the sudden, unexpected happiness that lights up the faces of an elderly couple who take up the offer.

“You’re wonderful; I’ll definitely have a good day now,” the man tells him. “This is what it takes to oil society.”

Compliments like this are “a bit hard to take in”, says Butcher, but he agrees that such happy customers make up for a small number of people who react with suspicion or outright aggression.

“I’ve been assaulted a few times,” he says matter-of-factly. “I’ve had many occasions where people were grabbing me, grabbing at my crotch, pushing me around and so forth… but I’ve never had a sustained, life-threatening beating. If I had, I’d probably be thinking about it slightly differently! I actually see it as part of the process.

“The point is, if I took that to heart and I was standing here, not feeling the love, then that’s the time to stop.”