The R.E.D Devils run for their money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust (CFT)
The R.E.D Devils run for their money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust (CFT)
[Posted on 28 July 2006]
A team of staff from the University of Bristol’s Research and Enterprise Development (R.E.D) department will be pounding the streets on Sunday 17th September to take part in the Reebok Bristol Half Marathon, in a bid to raise upwards of £10,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.The R.E.D Devils will be taking part in the Osborne Clarke Business Challenge and will be competing against other runners for titles of the fastest man, woman and team, plus the team raising the most money for charity. The team will leave Anchor Road alongside the scenic Bristol Harbourside at 9.30am and run the 13 miles ending up at the Millennium Square near @Bristol. Over 15,000 runners are expected to take part in the 2006 Bristol Half Marathon, an increase of 2,000 from last year’s run.
Prior to the half marathon, representatives from the University of Bristol’s Sports Medicine Clinic will be running a series of free workshops (sponsored by Reebok and Bristol City Council) to give free advice about any sports injuries or sport medicine concerns.
The R.E.D Devils are hoping to raise in excess of £10,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust – the UK’s only national charity dedicated to all aspects of Cystic Fibrosis (CF). It funds research to treat and cure CF and aims to ensure appropriate clinical care and support for people with Cystic Fibrosis.
Dr Siān Thomas, Director of Research and Enterprise Development at the University of Bristol commented, “Cystic Fibrosis is a devastating and debilitating condition which hugely affects the lives of those diagnosed. The department of Physiology at the University carries out dedicated research into this inherited disease and we are proud to run the Bristol Half Marathon to raise funds to further the excellent work of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.”
In the UK, 2.3 million people carry the faulty CF gene – that’s 1 in 25 of the population, with the average life expectancy for someone with CF being just 31 years. The Cystic Fibrosis Trust need to raise £8 million every year to fund its vital work.
To help the Cystic Fibrosis Trust you can sponsor the R.E.D Devils by visiting http://www.justgiving.com/reddevils or contact Martine Smith at martine.smith@bristol.ac.uk
Media enquiries: Sadia Haq, Research and Enterprise Development at the University of Bristol, Tel: 0117 928 8676 or E-mail: sadia.haq@bristol.ac.uk
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Notes for editors:
The R.E.D Devils
The R.E.D Devils team consists of:
· Dr Siān Thomas, Director, Research & Enterprise Development, University of Bristol
· James Lancaster, Technology Transfer Team Leader, Research & Enterprise Development, University of Bristol
· Peter Ereaut, Faculty and Project Managers Team Leader, Research & Enterprise Development, University of Bristol
· Paul Harrod, Enterprise Network Manager, Research & Enterprise Development, University of Bristol
· Martine Smith, Research Development Manager (Medical & Veterinary Sciences), Research & Enterprise Development, University of Bristol
· Dr Peter Hooper, Research Support Officer, University of Southampton
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust (CFT)
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the UK’s only national charity dedicated to all aspects of Cystic Fibrosis (CF). It funds research to treat and cure CF and aims to ensure appropriate clinical care and support for people with Cystic Fibrosis.
www.cftrust.org.uk
Reebok Bristol Half Marathon
Organised by Bristol City Council, the Reebok Bristol Half Marathon is one of the UK’s leading road races, awarded Gold Grade status by BARR in recognition of the highest standards of organisation. In response to huge demand for places in 2005, the course has been revised to increase the capacity to 15,000 entries.
The race is now one of the biggest half marathons in the country and with title sponsors Reebok on board for a further two years, the race is set to develop still further. The attractive, sea-level course takes place in the old city, scenic harbourside and the stunning Avon Gorge and offers great potential for fast times and personal bests.
www.bristol-city.gov.uk/halfmarathon
Obsorne Clarke Business Challenge
The race includes the Osborne Clarke Business Challenge. Open to any UK registered company, the Business Challenge sees teams competing against each other for the titles of fastest man, woman and team, plus the team raising the most money for charity.
www.bristol-city.gov.uk/halfmarathon
The University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is committed to combining its excellence in research and innovation with a vibrant enterprise culture. The University is working with government, industry and other partner organisations to encourage the growth of knowledge-based businesses in the South West. In particular, Bristol has joined forces with the universities of Bath, Southampton and Surrey to establish the SETsquared Partnership to encourage enterprise, build new businesses and work more effectively with industry. As research-intensive universities, these enterprise activities derive from their research base, although support is also available to entrepreneurs from outside of the universities. With a combined research staff of 6,400 and research budget of £266 million, the resulting contribution to the UK ‘knowledge economy’ is far greater than could be achieved individually. The partnership offers:
· Enterprise training and education
· Support for new businesses from within and external to the universities
· Access to innovative research that could lead to new products and processes
www.bristol.ac.uk
www.setsquaredpartnership.co.uk
For further PR information contact:
Sadia Haq, Research & Enterprise Development, University of Bristol, Senate House, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TH
tel: 0117 928 8676, e-mail: sadia.haq@bristol.ac.uk