Brentwood, Essex – February 21, 2007 – A team of 15 fit, and not-so-fit, employees from Océ UK are training with double Olympic Gold medal winning decathlete Daley Thompson CBE to make a healthy amount for charity.

 

‘Team Océ’, as the runners have become known, will run the daunting 26.1-mile race on 22 April with thousands of other runners, with the aim of raising over £30,000 for children’s charity, Barnardo’s.  In order to actually enter the race, the team is committed to raising a minimum of £22,500, which is a significant challenge in itself.

 

Team Océ received training tips from one of the best, when they attended Barnardo’s marathon training days, hosted by Thompson, who won Olympic Gold medals in 1980 and 1984. The Team will then join a host other celebrities who are also running the Flora London Marathon in aid of Barnardo’s.  These include actress, author and broadcaster Floella Benjamin OBE; Actor and CBeebies presenter, Sidney Sloane; TV and radio presenter, Julian Bennett; Actress Jennifer James, aka Coronation Street’s Geena Gregory, Big Brother’s Glyn Wise and Robbie ‘Tramp’ Knox from Sky Sports’ Soccer AM.

 

In preparation for the race, Thompson, assisted by ex-Barnardo’s boy Clifford Brooks a.k.a. Master Athlete “Snowy” Brooks, will also be putting Team Océ through their paces in a series of intensive coaching sessions.

 

Wilbert Verheyen, director of wide format printing systems at Océ UK, and who is part of Team Océ, said: “We have set ourselves a tough target for the fundraising, but it is definitely achievable.  Barnardo’s is a very worthwhile cause, and we are proud to support the excellent work it does, even if it does mean a few blisters along the way.”

 

Simon Wheeler, director of digital document systems, who is also running the race in April, said: “The whole team is putting a lot of effort into training and preparation for the race, as well as raising donations.”

 

Joanne Burgin, Barnardo’s Challenge Events Co-ordinator, said: “The support and commitment of Team Océ is greatly appreciated, and helps us continue offering a wide range of support services for some of the most vulnerable children and young people in more than 380 of Barnardo’s specialised projects nation-wide. We wish them all the best of luck.”

 

Please support Barnardo’s by sponsoring Team Océ’s charity run.  Visit www.oce.co.uk to make a donation.