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Staff at Navartis, an infrastructure recruitment company based at Doncaster Lakeside, started the month-long running challenge to shake-up life in lockdown.

Daniel Hartley, one of the runners, said: “A total of 17 of us did the challenge to run every day for a month.

“My personal challenge was to reach 100km.

Navartis employees raised over £2,000 for the Doncaster Food Bank.

“None of us are athletes, we're nine to five office workers so it was certainly a challenge for us all.”

The 17 employees managed to run a 1829.6km in total and raised £2,350.

The money is being donated to the Doncaster Food Bank because it is a charity that the business feels passionately about.

“People have been hit really hard during the pandemic,” Daniel said.

Daniel Hartley, 27, Dronfield. Organised the project from inception to now. Managed the strava and in-house competitions, personally ran 104km.

“We know that the service is being used more than ever by people who didn’t see themselves getting into that circumstance.

“It could just as easily be our friends, family or ourselves who need to access a food bank in the future.”

Navartis has managed to keep on all of its employees through the pandemic, but Daniel recognises that they are in a lucky position.

Project Manager at the Doncaster Foodbank, Sandra Edwards, said: “This year has seen an unprecedented rise in people needing support and access to our services and the donations from Navartis will most definitely go some way to allowing these people to feed their families this Christmas,” she said.

Hayley Coombs, 33, Arksey. Has a very young child, not long returned from maternity leave, yet still managed to clock up an impressive 112k.

The challenge did not go without its problems because one runner had a shin splint and another a broken rib.

But the team were determined to keep going and said that adding the regular exercise to their routines helped them become more productive during their work days.

Now that the team has completed this challenge they are taking the month of December off with big plans for charity fundraising in the New Year.

They hope to train towards a half marathon and complete the three peaks in 24 hours.

Meike Tomlinson, 22, Retford. Never ran before, many failed attempts at couch to 5k but managed to run 126km herself.

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In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.

Staff at Doncaster business complete month-long running challenge to help foodbank