A team of ten determined MIDIRS employees are beginning to digest the reality of the challenge ahead of them as they get stuck into training for the 8th Annual ASICS 10km London run, taking place on Sunday 6th July 2008.

All funds raised by the not-for-profit organisation will be donated to the mother and baby charity, Baby Lifeline, helping to supply hospitals up and down the country with vital life-saving maternity equipment, as well as supporting training and education programmes for midwives, obstetricians and neo-natal experts.

As an organisation whose main customer base is maternity healthcare professionals, MIDIRS seeks to take advantage of this opportunity to support the important work of maternity units across the country amidst a time of financial hardship and resource shortages.

MIDIRS Business Manager, Andy Fisher, who will also be taking part commented, ‘In the midst of media attention relating to midwife shortages and the resulting impact on maternity care, we feel it is highly important to recognise and support the amazing work of midwives across the country in the face of these challenges, so Baby Lifeline was the perfect choice of recipient.’

Baby Lifeline is a charity that offers support for unborn babies, newborn babies and their mothers by providing additional funding to complement the NHS maternity services, helping to purchase technology to care for and monitor pregnant mothers and newborn babies, and supporting specialised education, training and research programmes.

This is very closely affiliated to MIDIRS own mission: ‘to be the leading international information resource relating to childbirth and infancy, disseminating this information as widely as possible to assist in the improvement of maternity care.’

Judy Ledger, Chief Executive at Baby Lifeline commented, ‘We were delighted when MIDIRS approached us about the race. It is always amazing when organisations and individuals go out of their way to help us raise funds, but with MIDIRS it is particularly pertinent due to the linkage in our organisational aims.’

So what inspired the run?

Andy Fisher, MIDIRS Business Manager, initially set the ball rolling in an aim to improve his own personal fitness. ‘When I came across the London 10km run I thought it could provide a fitness challenge, whilst raising much needed funds in direct support of midwives and the mothers and babies they care for. When I discussed the idea with my colleagues I thought they’d say I was mad. I was amazed when nine others were keen to take up the challenge,’ Andy said.

Regular team training sessions are now underway and a dedicated website has been set up to receive donations. ‘We were all quite blasé about the run when we first agreed to it, however, the reality of training has made us realise just how much of a challenge this will be!,’ added Andy.

A blog detailing the progress of the MIDIRS team training is available to view at midirs10k.blogspot.com. Those who wish to share their support can do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/midirs10k