left to right: Kush, Pankaj, Sushil

We did it!!!

As proud supporters of the mental health charity Oakleaf, our managing director Sushil Patel agreed to take part in the Twilight Runway Challenge. The fundraising event was on Saturday 11 September with participants running or cycling 3K, 5K or 10K around the Blackbushe Airport airstrip near Camberley, Surrey.

Oakleaf Enterprise is a charity based in Guildford which has been supporting adults with mental health needs in Surrey for the past 24 years. Oakleaf aims to help its clients secure the skills, confidence and training needed to achieve their goals, with a focus on returning to the workplace. Read more here: LINK.

The challenge

Sush chose to challenge himself to beat his personal best time for a 10km run (47 minutes 40 seconds).

Throughout the pandemic we have all suffered to varying degrees with our mental health. Sush took up running in April 2020 to help focus his thoughts on something other than just the pandemic and work. He says: “Running while listening to dance music became my solace!” ?

The team

Having shared the challenge and fundraising page, two further people signed up to join the run with Sush:

  1. Pankaj Patel from Compubits – an old friend of Sush’s father and the first person to give Sush a Summer work placment in his company when he was still at school. Compubits have an incredibly knowledgeable and friendly team when it comes to IT hardware and software support.
  2. Kush Patel – an avid fitness enthusiast and Sush’s cousin. Kush signed up to for the fun challenge and to help Sush pace his run. Sush says he definitely couldn’t have done it without him!

The result

  • Sush beat his previous best time and achieved 45 minutes 52 seconds. And as an added bonus also beat his 5km personal best time!
  • Pankaj has so far raised £808.75 (incl. GA) for Oakleaf.
  • Sushil has so far raised £939.75 (incl. GA) for Oakleaf.

It’s not too late to donate to this very worthy cause. Mental health is something that affects us all, in one way or another. Sushil’s fundraising page: LINK.

Thank you to all those that have supported. ?