Latest News

Transport boss takes on daunting running challenge for Hospice

Transport boss Nigel Cook is swapping his suit for running shorts to raise money for Willow Burn Hospice, at Lanchester.

Nigel, managing director of Consett-based Elddis Transport has undertaken to run 10 half marathons in 10 different countries in less than 10 months.

He has already completed the Isle of Man half marathon, the Great Scottish half marathon in Glasgow and the  Great North Run (England), raising almost £9,000 to date in sponsorship and pledges.

Over the next six months he will run half marathons in Amsterdam (Netherlands), Benidorm (Spain), Calvia (Majorca), Tromso (Norway), Marrakesh (Morocco), Lisbon (Portugal) and hopes to finish in Prague (Czech Republic) on the April 2, 2011.

“It is certainly going to test my fitness,” said Nigel, aged 42 “I have only ever run three half marathons before in my life, and all of them have been Great North Runs, the previous one being in 2008. The challenge seemed like a good idea over a bottle of wine one night, but with three half marathons completed and seven still to go over the winter months, I realise just what a long road it is going to be."

“There are a couple of the runs I am a little worried about. It will be very hot in Marrakesh even in January, but the big race is the Polar Nights Half Marathon in Tromso. This takes place 250 miles inside the Arctic Circle, in the dark, in the snow and ice, and in temperatures of between -5 and -10 degrees. The application form did recommend warm clothing!”

In addition to running, Nigel’s support of Willow Burn Hospice includes chairing its fund-raising Capital Campaign Board and throwing the weight of the 160-truck fleet Elddis Transport behind a ‘trucking4willowburn’ project, which has raised more than £60,000 for the hospice since 2007. The family firm, which employs more than 280 staff and offers road transport, warehousing and supply chain management, recently bought 15 new trailers on the back of a pledge from the manufacturer to donate £50 per trailer to Willow Burn.

Nigel said: “I have supported Willow Burn for a number of years and have been a trustee of the charity for the last couple of years. I wanted to help raise both valuable funds and also the awareness of this fantastic charity. Willow Burn depends on donations and fundraising to be able to provide the local community with the best palliative care available."

“All of the race entry fees and travelling expenses have been paid for by myself with a little help from Elddis Transport, so every penny I raise goes straight to Willow Burn."

You can find out more and follow Nigel’s progress, as well as finding how to support him at his website: www.runningman.co. You can also follow via Twitter (NigelCook68) or Facebook (The Running Man).