This week sees Hollywood Monster Managing Director Tim Andrews embark on his latest sporting challenge, the Tokyo Marathon, and leading airline operator Turkish Airlines is supporting him along the way.
Flying out today (Wednesday 18 February), Tim Andrews will join around 36,000 runners on the famous 26-mile route across the city, hoping to raise around £5,000 for LoveBrum. The charity has just launched and has the admirable aim of unearthing ‘hidden gem’ projects that help make Birmingham a better place. His efforts are being supported by Turkish Airlines, who are helping him realise his dream and get to Tokyo this weekend (Race Day: 22 February 2015).
Turkish Airlines currently operate three flights a day to Japan direct from Istanbul, including a daily service to Osaka and twice-daily service to Tokyo. Selim Ozturk, General Manager at Turkish Airlines, said:
“It is our absolute pleasure to support Tim during the long journey to Japan. LoveBrum is a fantastic cause supporting local charities within the Birmingham region and is something we are proud to be associated with. I would like to wish Tim all the very best of luck during the marathon, and am confident Turkish Airlines will help him to arrive well-rested and ready to run!
This is the ninth annual Tokyo Marathon and the event has become famed for welcoming large numbers of domestic and international runners. Organisers, Tokyo Marathon Foundation, pride themselves on hosting an event that symbolises Tokyo’s past, present and future. The event attracts over 1.7 million people, is run by 10,000 volunteers, and also acts as the Selection Race for Japan’s men’s marathon representatives for the 15th IAAF World Championships in Athletics.
“I can’t believe that it is already time for me to head out to Tokyo for the marathon; it seemed so far away when I first announced that I’d be running it. The support I’m getting from Turkish Airlines is gratefully received as it allows me to raise as much money as possible for the cause; LoveBrum. The team at Turkish Airlines has been incredibly supportive of this challenge and also my dedication to raising money for LoveBrum,” Andrews said.
“Tokyo will be my seventh marathon; I have always wanted to run it and now seems like the right time to do it. The organisers are dedicated to ensuring that the event promotes and celebrates the city, and that’s very much in line with what LoveBrum aims to achieve. I’m a Trustee of the charity and want to use this marathon as a springboard to promote our vision to unearth and support hidden gem projects that make Birmingham great. That said, this is a real challenge for me; whilst I’ve completed seven marathons before, I’m now 10 years older, two stone heavier and a little unfitter than I was. Plus the distance from home makes it that much harder. Regardless, I fly out of Birmingham with a desire to do well but, more importantly, reach my £5,000 target for LoveBrum,” he continued.
Launched this month, LoveBrum is a charity that unearths hidden projects that make Birmingham a truly special place to live. All of the money raised in Birmingham stays right here in Birmingham and with lean running costs sponsored by corporate members, all of the money raised goes directly to the causes. In its first year, LoveBrum will promote 40 causes and raise a minimum of £120,000 to fund 12 projects. All of these projects must have tangible outcomes and will be voted for by LoveBrum members.
Tim Andrews has become one of the region’s leading corporate fundraisers, driving major charity events and being part of the team that launched the 7inSeven cycle initiative in 2013. He was also awarded a West Midlands Pride Award at the Business Masters 2013, and has completed a number of marathons, 10k races and sporting challenges in the past few years.
If you’d like to support Tim’s Tokyo Marathon, you can donate via www.indiegogo.com/projects/tim-does-tokyo-for-lovebrum.