Diverze Print are based in Leighton Buzzard, offering a range of different graphics services to local businesses, including printed paper and other substrates, promotional items and corporate gifts, graphic design and digital services.

Through our love of sport, and more specifically running and cycling, we have expanded our portfolio to offer bespoke sportswear to local clubs, businesses and charities. To help in promoting our new brand, we have created #TeamDiverze, which Michael Banks, director of Diverze Print, will be representing in 2017.

For 2017, Diverze Print has decided that our charity of choice will once again be the local charity, KidsOut whose mission it is to help give disadvantaged children positive experiences and the support in helping them become future useful members of both society and the workforce. You are able to read more about the fantastic work they do by visiting their website - www.kidsout.org.uk

As you will not doubt be aware, sporting events play a massive part in raising valuable funds for many worthwhile charities, and it is from this perspective that we have decided to use #TeamDiverze as the vehicle that we will try to raise the majority of the £5000 target that we have set ourselves for 2017.

For anyone that has ever trained for a sporting event will no doubt be aware there are many hours of work that go in to getting fitness up to the required level to complete the event, and it is this hard work and dedication, as much as completing the event on the day that many people reward through their generous donations through sponsorship. With this in mind we are asking for local business such as yourselves to consider not sponsoring a specific event that Michael will be taking part in, but sponsoring each kilometre that he racks up during the year.

In 2017, Michael will be taking on the London Marathon in April for the second time. After running his first and only marathon in London in 2015, it is an event that he loved doing due to the fantastic support offered by the thousands of people who line the street on the day - it’s like no other event in the world!

After this he will be tackling one of the toughest events on the triathlon circuit - Ironman Lanzarote. For those not aware of what Ironman consist of, it is a three discipline event, consisting of a 3.8km swim (in this case the swim will take place in the sea), a 182.2km cycle ride, and to finish a 42.2km run (yes, that is the distance of a marathon!). The event has a time limit of 17 hours to complete, and Lanzarote is known as one of the hardest events on the Ironman calendar due to the many hills in the cycle leg, the relentless wind that whizzes across the island and of course the year round heat that you get in the Canary Islands.

Two weeks after the Ironman, Michael will then move on to the Tour of Cambridgeshire. On Saturday 3rd June he will take on the Chrono, a 26.55km time trial. Tis will be followed on Sunday 4th June by the Gran Fondo, a 120km bike race through Cambridgeshire.

There will be other smaller events throughout the year that Michael will participate in as well.

If you would like to keep up-to-date with Michael's training and events please visit either www.diverze.com or www.iamMichaelBanks.uk

We appreciate any donations towards our goal to support KidsOut in helping as many disadvantaged children as possible.

Thank you...