Latest news with #PhilRoberton
The Independent
25-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
‘I am the organiser of the most inclusive, supportive marathon in the world'
A marathon organiser has said he believes his event is the 'most inclusive' in the world as it will feature participants with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and terminal cancer. Phil Roberton, 43, is the organiser of the Flawed Hero Marathon – a 26.2 mile event in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, which will finish just as the London Marathon begins and aims to accept anyone willing to take part. 'I think it's the most inclusive, supportive marathon in the world,' Mr Roberton told the PA news agency. 'I can have anyone on the planet: any shape, size, background story. 'It's very difficult to get a London Marathon place, very hard to get a place in the ballot, so I've created an event which is equally as good, equally as powerful and extremely impactful as well. 'The name comes from the fact that we all have a past, but none of us are broken, we don't need fixing, we're flawed but that's okay and we can still make a difference. We are enough.' The event was launched in 2024 and welcomed 40 participants who either ran, walked, or a combination of both. Mr Roberton said he initially envisioned it being a one-time thing, but he quickly realised how 'special' it was after hearing the stories of attendees. 'Last year, we had an incredible young man called Jack who has cerebral palsy and walked it in eight-and-a-half hours,' he said. He showed up with an incredible attitude, positivity, and shows what resilience looks like. He is coming back this year. 'I've got Adam with stage four incurable cancer taking part, Yvette in a mobility scooter taking part. Everyone has their story.' Mr Roberton said he has spent the last 11 months doing all he can to ensure all goes to plan including working with the council, getting a land licence and keeping in touch with competitors so they feel supported. This year, 100 are expected to make their way to the Broadway Cinema in Letchworth, the starting point of the race, including local Yvette Churchman, 62. Ms Churchman, who is a community champion at Morrisons, will be riding her way through the marathon in her mobility scooter, which she has used since 2019 after developing rheumatoid arthritis, and will be joined by colleagues: Jan Shakespeare, Martin Kingsley and Tracey Mcgrinder. She said she was inspired to take on the event after hearing about previous participants. 'There were people from all walks of life and that's what I like because I know one of them has cerebral palsy and I thought – if he can do it, so can we,' she told PA. 'I never thought I would be able to do a marathon, but Phil's really sold it to us and been so supportive throughout.' She said she is most excited about the fact the race is largely nocturnal. 'I think it will be more fun doing it at night,' she said. 'Just to have our own thing (in Letchworth) will be really good.' Mr Roberton added the event will finish in front of the Broadway Gardens Fountain which will be glowing purple for Pancreatic Cancer UK. 90% of money raised will go to the cancer charity, to fund the research into the early detection of Pancreatic Cancer, with the remainder used to fund the Flawed Hero Movement, which offers everything from community hubs to ice baths & stress resilience courses to 'put money back into the community and boost the wellness of the town'. Mr Roberton said he has asked participants to send over any images of loved ones who have or have had cancer, or passed away, which he will display on a screen at the Broadway Cinema pre-race, and his wife is to sing the song The Impossible Dream to 'get the emotion going'. 'Watching people leaving the cinema, going into the dark, knowing that they're going to go through a journey – that's exciting to me,' he added.
Irish Independent
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘I am the organiser of the most inclusive, supportive marathon in the world'
©Press Association Today at 03:00 A marathon organiser has said he believes his event is the 'most inclusive' in the world as it will feature participants with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and terminal cancer. Phil Roberton, 43, is the organiser of the Flawed Hero Marathon – a 26.2 mile event in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, which will finish just as the London Marathon begins and aims to accept anyone willing to take part.
Belfast Telegraph
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
‘I am the organiser of the most inclusive, supportive marathon in the world'
Phil Roberton, 43, is the organiser of the Flawed Hero Marathon – a 26.2 mile event in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, which will finish just as the London Marathon begins and aims to accept anyone willing to take part. 'I think it's the most inclusive, supportive marathon in the world,' Mr Roberton told the PA news agency. 'I can have anyone on the planet: any shape, size, background story. 'It's very difficult to get a London Marathon place, very hard to get a place in the ballot, so I've created an event which is equally as good, equally as powerful and extremely impactful as well. 'The name comes from the fact that we all have a past, but none of us are broken, we don't need fixing, we're flawed but that's okay and we can still make a difference. We are enough.' The event was launched in 2024 and welcomed 40 participants who either ran, walked, or a combination of both. Mr Roberton said he initially envisioned it being a one-time thing, but he quickly realised how 'special' it was after hearing the stories of attendees. 'Last year, we had an incredible young man called Jack who has cerebral palsy and walked it in eight-and-a-half hours,' he said. He showed up with an incredible attitude, positivity, and shows what resilience looks like. He is coming back this year. 'I've got Adam with stage four incurable cancer taking part, Yvette in a mobility scooter taking part. Everyone has their story.' Mr Roberton said he has spent the last 11 months doing all he can to ensure all goes to plan including working with the council, getting a land licence and keeping in touch with competitors so they feel supported. This year, 100 are expected to make their way to the Broadway Cinema in Letchworth, the starting point of the race, including local Yvette Churchman, 62. Ms Churchman, who is a community champion at Morrisons, will be riding her way through the marathon in her mobility scooter, which she has used since 2019 after developing rheumatoid arthritis, and will be joined by colleagues: Jan Shakespeare, Martin Kingsley and Tracey Mcgrinder. She said she was inspired to take on the event after hearing about previous participants. 'There were people from all walks of life and that's what I like because I know one of them has cerebral palsy and I thought – if he can do it, so can we,' she told PA. 'I never thought I would be able to do a marathon, but Phil's really sold it to us and been so supportive throughout.' She said she is most excited about the fact the race is largely nocturnal. 'I think it will be more fun doing it at night,' she said. 'Just to have our own thing (in Letchworth) will be really good.' Mr Roberton added the event will finish in front of the Broadway Gardens Fountain which will be glowing purple for Pancreatic Cancer UK. 90% of money raised will go to the cancer charity, to fund the research into the early detection of Pancreatic Cancer, with the remainder used to fund the Flawed Hero Movement, which offers everything from community hubs to ice baths & stress resilience courses to 'put money back into the community and boost the wellness of the town'. Mr Roberton said he has asked participants to send over any images of loved ones who have or have had cancer, or passed away, which he will display on a screen at the Broadway Cinema pre-race, and his wife is to sing the song The Impossible Dream to 'get the emotion going'. 'Watching people leaving the cinema, going into the dark, knowing that they're going to go through a journey – that's exciting to me,' he added.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
‘I am the organiser of the most inclusive, supportive marathon in the world'
A marathon organiser has said he believes his event is the 'most inclusive' in the world as it will feature participants with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and terminal cancer. Phil Roberton, 43, is the organiser of the Flawed Hero Marathon – a 26.2 mile event in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, which will finish just as the London Marathon begins and aims to accept anyone willing to take part. 'I think it's the most inclusive, supportive marathon in the world,' Mr Roberton told the PA news agency. 'I can have anyone on the planet: any shape, size, background story. 'It's very difficult to get a London Marathon place, very hard to get a place in the ballot, so I've created an event which is equally as good, equally as powerful and extremely impactful as well. 'The name comes from the fact that we all have a past, but none of us are broken, we don't need fixing, we're flawed but that's okay and we can still make a difference. We are enough.' The event was launched in 2024 and welcomed 40 participants who either ran, walked, or a combination of both. Mr Roberton said he initially envisioned it being a one-time thing, but he quickly realised how 'special' it was after hearing the stories of attendees. 'Last year, we had an incredible young man called Jack who has cerebral palsy and walked it in eight-and-a-half hours,' he said. He showed up with an incredible attitude, positivity, and shows what resilience looks like. He is coming back this year. 'I've got Adam with stage four incurable cancer taking part, Yvette in a mobility scooter taking part. Everyone has their story.' Mr Roberton said he has spent the last 11 months doing all he can to ensure all goes to plan including working with the council, getting a land licence and keeping in touch with competitors so they feel supported. This year, 100 are expected to make their way to the Broadway Cinema in Letchworth, the starting point of the race, including local Yvette Churchman, 62. Ms Churchman, who is a community champion at Morrisons, will be riding her way through the marathon in her mobility scooter, which she has used since 2019 after developing rheumatoid arthritis, and will be joined by colleagues: Jan Shakespeare, Martin Kingsley and Tracey Mcgrinder. She said she was inspired to take on the event after hearing about previous participants. 'There were people from all walks of life and that's what I like because I know one of them has cerebral palsy and I thought – if he can do it, so can we,' she told PA. 'I never thought I would be able to do a marathon, but Phil's really sold it to us and been so supportive throughout.' She said she is most excited about the fact the race is largely nocturnal. 'I think it will be more fun doing it at night,' she said. 'Just to have our own thing (in Letchworth) will be really good.' Mr Roberton added the event will finish in front of the Broadway Gardens Fountain which will be glowing purple for Pancreatic Cancer UK. 90% of money raised will go to the cancer charity, to fund the research into the early detection of Pancreatic Cancer, with the remainder used to fund the Flawed Hero Movement, which offers everything from community hubs to ice baths & stress resilience courses to 'put money back into the community and boost the wellness of the town'. Mr Roberton said he has asked participants to send over any images of loved ones who have or have had cancer, or passed away, which he will display on a screen at the Broadway Cinema pre-race, and his wife is to sing the song The Impossible Dream to 'get the emotion going'. 'Watching people leaving the cinema, going into the dark, knowing that they're going to go through a journey – that's exciting to me,' he added. The fundraising pages of Flawed Hero Marathon participants can be accessed here: Ms Churchman's fundraiser can be viewed here:
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pancreatic Cancer UK Inspires Runners With Personalised Videos Powered by Idomoo
Innovative campaign supports key event messaging for the 2025 TCS London Marathon's Charity of the Year. LONDON, April 09, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As the official Charity of the Year for the TCS London Marathon 2025, Pancreatic Cancer UK wanted to inspire runners to join their team, showing them the benefits of being part of the team and the purpose behind their mission. Their solution? A personalised video powered by Idomoo. In it, Coach Phil Roberton shares what team members can look forward to, with attention-grabbing personalisation throughout, including the opening scene, a billboard in Piccadilly Circus, a double-decker bus and a running vest. Video production from Bang Boom Creative blends seamlessly with personalised data in Idomoo's Next Generation Video Platform, and the resulting video fits inside a minute, ideal since over 85% of viewers watched it from their phone. "Putting the first-ever early detection test for pancreatic cancer into the hands of doctors could save thousands of lives, and we wanted every single one of our runners to feel united behind that goal," said Kerry Thomas, Head of Mass Fundraising at Pancreatic Cancer UK. "The TCS London Marathon is the ultimate test and demands months of hard work and sacrifice. Using personalised video to inspire people to take up the challenge and be part of delivering a major breakthrough for the deadliest common cancer just made sense. Thank you, Idomoo, for being the partner we needed, for providing insights to increase our engagement and making the launch of our first personalised video campaign stress-free and effective." Idomoo personalised video is often used for event messaging, from the Boston Marathon and Grand Cycle Tokyo to conferences and corporate functions. They can even be interactive, letting viewers RSVP right from the video. Most event hosts distribute the videos via email, as Pancreatic Cancer UK did, but personalised videos can be shared on any digital channel. To produce the video creative, brands can work with the agency of their choice, Idomoo's in-house studio or Idomoo's AI solution. "We love working with all our clients, but it's especially meaningful when we get to support a great cause like this one," said Yaron Dishon, Idomoo CRO. "Funds raised through this event will directly support research and treatment for those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and having more runners on the team — which this personalised video promotes — means more funds raised, which can ultimately save lives. We're honoured to collaborate with the 2025 TCS London Marathon's Charity of the Year on such an important project." Learn more about Pancreatic Cancer UK's role in the London Marathon. For more about Idomoo, visit About Pancreatic Cancer UK People affected by pancreatic cancer deserve more than hope — they need results. That's why Pancreatic Cancer UK is making more noise for those who have gone unheard for too long, bringing more research breakthroughs, more change through campaigning and more support. Our nurses provide expert, personalised support and information via our Support Line through our website and in healthcare professional leaflets and materials, available to order at We fund innovative research that will change how we understand, diagnose and treat the disease. We campaign for change; for better care, treatment and research, and for pancreatic cancer to get the recognition it needs. About Idomoo Idomoo's Next Generation Video Platform empowers the world's leading enterprises to transform their CX with personalised, AI-driven and interactive video at scale. With Lucas AI Video Creator, brands can create videos in minutes from simple prompts, slashing production costs. And Next Gen Videos are dynamic, leveraging hyper-personalisation and real-time live data to maximise relevance and conversions. Idomoo delivers unmatched ROI for market leaders like Activision, Chase, Google, Vodafone, SelectHealth, Oracle and American Airlines. Learn more at View source version on Contacts Media contact:Cheryl 434-298-4410
