JAGUAR LAND ROVER MARATHON HERO’S FACTORY EFFORT

28 August 2020

Jaguar Land Rover employee and marathon runner Mark Shanahan was given the run of his company’s plants to complete his 18th marathon of the year.

  • Jaguar Land Rover employee is running 20 marathons in 2020 for charity
  • Route planned across the West Midlands plants after organised runs cancelled due to coronavirus
  • More than 470 miles completed and nearly £9,000 raised so far for charity St Giles Hospice
  • Mark’s 20th and final marathon scheduled for October

Friday 28 August 2020, Whitley, UK  ‑ Jaguar Land Rover employee and marathon runner Mark Shanahan was given the run of his company’s plants to complete his 18th marathon of the year.

Mark challenged himself to run 20 marathons in 2020 to raise money for local charity St Giles Hospice. But the events he signed up to were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic – so he organised his own 26‑mile runs.

The marketing manager, who has worked at Jaguar Land Rover for nine years, chose the West Midlands manufacturing plants for his 18th run on Friday after working with the manufacturing teams to map a 26‑mile route around the Castle Bromwich and Solihull sites.

Mark has now run more than 470 miles and raised nearly £9,000 to support the West Midlands‑based hospice, which cared for Mark’s late uncle last year, following donations from family and friends plus a collective £1,000 donation from Solihull and Castle Bromwich’s respective 50 Years of Land Rover and Employee Charitable Contribution funds.

Friday’s run followed a route down and around various production lines at Castle Bromwich before an eight‑mile journey to do the same at the sister facility in Solihull.

“I’ll always be grateful for the care St Giles gave my uncle in his last days with us and I thought this would be great way to show my appreciation. If I can help them to continue to provide the same kind of care they gave to my family at a really difficult time then I’m only too happy to do so. I’m grateful to Jaguar Land Rover for giving me the opportunity to add some variety to the challenge. They’ve been really supportive and using the sites as a marathon route is unique so I’m looking forward to it.”

Mark Shanahan
Product Manager

“It’s a huge challenge that Mark has undertaken and when he approached us for some support we were happy to help. We are serious about our responsibility to support our communities and we are glad to help one of our own do the same.”

Mark Trowbridge
Castle Bromwich Operations Director

Further information

Jaguar Land Rover PR social channels:

‑ Twitter: @JLR_News

‑ LinkedIn: @Jaguar_Land_Rover

 

For more information visit www.media.jaguarlandrover.com or contact:

 

Jess Bowden‑Eyre

Corporate Affairs Manager

jbowdene@jaguarlandrover.com

+44 7734 855245

Notes to Editors

About Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover is the UK’s largest automotive manufacturer, built around two iconic British car brands. Land Rover is the world’s leading manufacturer of premium all‑wheel‑drive vehicles. Jaguar is one of the world’s premier luxury marques, as well as being the first ever brand to offer a premium all‑electric performance SUV, the Jaguar I‑PACE.

At Jaguar Land Rover we are driven by a desire to deliver class‑leading vehicles, providing experiences people love, for life. Our products are in demand around the globe and in 2019 we sold 557,706 vehicles in 127 countries.

At heart we are a British company, with two major design and engineering sites, three vehicle manufacturing facilities, an Engine Manufacturing Centre and soon to be opened Battery Assembly Centre. We also have vehicle plants in China, Brazil, India, Austria and Slovakia. Three of our seven technology hubs are in the UK – Manchester, Warwick (NAIC) and London – with additional sites in Shannon, Ireland, Portland, USA, Budapest, Hungary and Changshu, China.

We have a growing portfolio of electrified products across our model range, embracing fully electric, plug‑in hybrid and mild‑hybrid vehicles, as well as continuing to offer the latest diesel and petrol engines, giving our customers even more choice.

We are confident that our comprehensive strategy, exciting pipeline of market‑leading vehicles and innovative approach to technology and mobility will see us continue to progress towards Destination Zero, our mission to shape future mobility with zero emissions, zero accidents and zero congestion.

About St Giles Hospice

Founded in 1983, St Giles Hospice provides palliative care and support for patients with incurable illnesses as well as their families either at home or in their residential facilities based in Lichfield and Walsall.

Its dedicated team provides individually‑tailored care either at the hospice or in patients’ own homes across its local communities.

The range of specialist services is provided free of charge to those who need it. Although St Giles receives some funding from the Government, the service relies heavily on donations and fundraising.