By Leicester Mercury | Posted May 09, 2013
Executive Quest has raised £200,000 for LOROS hospice and cancer charity Prostaid in the four years since it was launched. Business leaders are being called upon to challenge themselves in the name of charity.
Dozens of business people have taken part, raising money through stunts such as sky dives and underwater treasure hunts.
Pensions firm Mattioli Woods, in Enderby, is organising the event this year, having taken up the reins from accountancy firms Grant Thornton and Thomas May.
Ian Mattioli, chief executive of Mattioli Woods, said: "As business leaders, I believe we should always lead from the front.
"This is a fantastic initiative, whereby we can not only set a good example to our employees but also help in giving something back to the community and make a real difference to others."
Mr Mattioli will take part by attempting to get within 20 per cent of his personal best as a teenage county athlete.
He said: "This may sound simple, but running under 14 seconds for 100 metres as a 50-year-old is quite a challenge and involves a considerable amount of training. Two of my senior executives will also be taking on challenges to raise money."
Last year, more than a dozen executives raised more than £50,000 for charity by taking part in gruelling challenges.
Among them were Chris White, chief executive of Hinckley & Rugby Building Society, and Mark Robinson, who heads Market Harborough Building Society.
The pair raised £6,000 by visiting all six building society headquarters in Leicestershire in a day using unusual transport, including a milk float, horse-drawn carriage, tandem bicycle and a steam-powered car.
The Executive Quest is being officially launched this evening at the Leicester Marriott.
The challenges will need to be completed by September 30 and Mattioli Woods said it would help anyone who wanted to take part but was struggling to come up with an idea for a challenge.
A spokesman for Prostaid said: "Our long-term goal is to build a prostate cancer centre.
"This challenge is really appreciated by all of us in Prostaid."
Anyone interested in taking on a challenge should call Victoria Harley on 0116 240 8700
