Four colleagues tackle a year of physical challenges in support of Macmillan

In April 2009, a team of four from Capita’s life and pensions operation in Manchester embarked on a challenge to raise £2,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support by completing an extensive list of marathons, triathlons, bike rides and open water swimming. By April 2010, Simon Darlington, David Shelley, Simon Rutter and Daniel Smalley will have competed in 18 different sporting events between them, ending with the famous ‘Hellrunner’, Congleton half marathon and the Toughguy challenge.

The highlight of the year so far came on Saturday 19th September when Simon Darlington won the Tatton Park sprint triathlon, beating over 400 fellow tri-athletes. Simon has undergone an immense physical challenge to raise money for Macmillan running over 180km, swimming 9950m and cycling 540km and he was rewarded for his efforts with this win at Tatton Park.

Simon Darlington, an actuarial analyst at Capita, commented: “We are having an amazing time working our way through all these events. It’s great to tackle them as part of a team because it means we can provide much needed encouragement and support to each other. We are grateful to everyone who has already donated towards this worthy cause. While we put our bodies through the pain of getting through these events, it’s the least we can do to try and secure the health of the many number of people who suffer the terrible effects of cancer.”

Simon, together with his colleagues have already competed in a great number of events including the Paris Marathon, over 10 triathlons all around the country from Tatton Park to London, the Great North Swim and the Etape Caledonia 130k bike ride.

The full list of challenges are as follows:

• Paris Marathon (26m 365yrds)
• Cheshire Sprint Triathlon (500m swim, 20k bike ride, 5k run)
• Hellrunner (11m fell run)
• Etape Caledonia (130k bike ride) and Cheshire Sprint Triathlon
• North West Sprint Triathlon  (500m swim, 20k bike ride, 5k run) and  
• Tatton Park Olympic Triathlon (1,500m swim, 40k bike ride, 10k run)
• Oulton Park Duathlon (8krun, 48k bike ride, 8k run)
• Northwich Sprint Triathlon (400m swim, 20k bike ride, 5k run) and Liverpool Sprint Triathlon (750m swim, 20k bike ride, 5k run)
• Bananaman Triathlon (800m swim, 20k bike ride, 5k run)
• London Olympic Triathlon (1,500m swim, 40k bike ride, 10k run)
• Great North Swim (1 mile swim of Lake Windemere), North West Sprint Triathlon and Tatton Park Sprint Triathlon
• Toughguy Challenge 

Capita embarked on its partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support in 2008 – a charity chosen by its employees. The charity’s primary goal is to reach and improve the lives of everyone living with cancer and together Capita and Macmillan are aiming to raise £1m to help achieve this.  At end of June 2009 £665,000 had already been raised towards this target.

If you wish to support Simon and his colleagues, please visit: www.justgiving.com/ironabsyearofpain

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The Capita Group Plc is the UK’s leading provider of BPO and integrated professional support service solutions.  With 36,000 people at more than 300 sites, including 60 business centres across the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands and India, the Group uses its expertise, infrastructure and scale benefits to transform its clients’ services, driving down costs and adding value. Capita is quoted on the London Stock Exchange (CPI.L), and is a constituent of the FTSE100 with revenues for 2008 of £2,441 million.

Further information on the Capita Group Plc can be found at: www.capita.co.uk

About Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer, providing practical, medical, emotional and financial support.  Working alongside people affected by cancer, Macmillan works to improve cancer care. One in three of us will get cancer. Two million of us are living with it. If you are affected by cancer Macmillan can help.

For more information about Macmillan Cancer Support, visit www.macmillan.org.uk or freephone 0800 500 800 for an information pack.