Directors of Poole-based marine electronics specialists – Actisense – have completed the world’s toughest ultramarathon to raise funds for the University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity. Phil and Michele Whitehurst took part in the Comrades Ultra-Marathon in August and raised £948.18 for the charity, completing the gruelling race before the tough 12-hour cut-off period.
The annual ultramarathon of approximately 90km (56 miles), which is known for its challenging route and intense hill climbs, is run between Pietermaritzburg and Durban in the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa and is recognised as the world’s largest and oldest ultramarathon race, with the first race having taken place in 1921.
Upon returning after completing the ultramarathon, Phil Whitehurst, CEO, commented:
“Taking part in this marathon was certainly tough, but we were excited to challenge ourselves whilst raising money for a charity important to us and the business. Michele and I are both running enthusiasts, but we trained relentlessly for months to get our fitness levels up in preparation for this ultramarathon. We were proud to be running to raise money for University Hospitals Dorset, a charity that is close to our hearts, where every penny counts towards supporting our local hospitals.”
Fellow director, Michele Whitehurst, added:
“It was a gruelling course that took nearly twelve hours to complete, but running for University Hospitals Dorset made it all the worthwhile. We were honoured to receive a certificate and medal for the money we raised, as well as a letter of gratitude from the fundraising team for the hospitals. The hospital charity is not funded by the NHS, so the money raised will do amazing things in helping to continue to provide excellent care to all patients and to look after the incredible staff.”
Actisense, who have celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2022, have regularly supported the community that they serve, with notable environmental commitments – having planted nearly 5000 trees in the past two years – along with supporting young talent such as Team GB Olympic sailing hopeful, Sam Whaley.
The University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity raises money for The Royal Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Hospitals and helps provide a better environment, more equipment and training to support both patient and staff health and well-being.
For more information about Actisense, visit www.actisense.com. To learn more about University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity, visit https://www.uhd.nhs.uk/.