A marathon effort from Westfield’s Great North Run team

A team of dedicated Westfield Health employees pounded the streets of Newcastle last weekend in the 30th Great North Run.

Biddy Hannon, Peter O'Neil and Mark Newton tackled the challenging half-marathon on Sunday 19 September 2010 to raise money for Helen's Trust, a charity which provides nursing care, equipment and complementary therapy for people with incurable illnesses who prefer to stay at home during their final days.

The trio started the mammoth 13.1-mile event in Newcastle, following the route through Gateshead and South Tyneside before crossing the finish line in South Shields. Peter O'Neil led the way, completing the run in 2 hours 3 minutes. He was closely followed by Biddy Hannon who finished in 2 hours 11 minutes and husband and wife duo Mark and Clare Newton who crossed the line together in 2 hours 17 minutes.

Newcastle's most famous double act, Ant and Dec, officially started the race for 54,000 elite and recreational runners plus celebrities such as  BBC Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills, who ran for Asthma UK, and Joe McElderry, who raised cash for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Biddy Hannon, 30, Westfield's Management Accountant, tackling the run for the third time, said: "It was a really good atmosphere but it was harder than I thought it would be. We all had our names on our tops so people were cheering us along, which made a real difference. After 10 miles my legs gave up but I kept on running slowly."

Mark Newton, 36, Customer Service Project Leader at Westfield Health, said: "It was possibly the hardest thing I have ever done but the support we received from the crowds was tremendous. It was a mixture of hard work and a huge sense of achievement when we crossed the finish line. After five miles I found it really hard but I just put my head down and ran the rest. My wife and I ran every step of the way together and I think that's what got us through it."

The team has raised almost £2,500 thanks to sponsorship and donations from Westfield colleagues, friends and family.

It’s still not too late to sponsor the team. Visit www.justgiving.com/westfield-great-north-run for more information.