Zen employees race to raise money for charity

Some of the Zen employees who took part in the Great Manchester Run last weekend

A team of runners from Rochdale based Zen Internet took part in the Bupa Great Manchester Run on Sunday 26 May.

The team of 33 employees ran the 10Km race, which started in the city centre, to raise money for Zen's chosen charity, Kingfisher Community Special School.

The Kingfisher Community Special School is Oldham’s provision for primary aged children with severe and complex learning needs. Kingfisher ensures that the children receive the very best possible learning opportunities and make at least good progress. As such, the school strives to ensure that this happens through robust yet creative and innovative practice.

This will be the tenth year that Zen employees have taken part in the run to raise money for its chosen charity. All of its runners have committed to raising at least £45 each for the charity.

"This is an important charity event for Zen and we aim to raise more by offering a chance for everyone to get involved, whether they are actually running or simply donating online. We have built up an excellent relationship with Kingfisher through in-house events including the Easter Extravaganza balloon drop which raised £425.70, with all proceeds going to this charity", said Caroline Taylor, HR Manager and Head of Zen’s Social and Charities Committee.

Also this year a team of eight Zen employees will be taking up a Coast to Coast cycle challenge in June, riding from Morecambe on the Lancashire coast to Scarborough on the East coast over two days, a total of 132 miles.

On the 20 July a team of six will be entering the Great Manchester Swim in Salford Quays. As with the Great Manchester run, Zen’s swimmers commit to raising at least £45 each.

Zen raised over £9,000 for last year’s charity, Boomerang, the multi-sensory play centre in Bury. Zen is hoping to match or exceed this amount in 2013 for Kingfisher.