For the first time ever Efficiency North pulled a team together to run the Sheffield 10k to raise some money for Help 4 Homeless Veterans. None of us are experienced runners, we're all ages, shapes and levels of fitness, but we're always up for trying a new challenge, training together, for a small charity who do incredible work in South Yorkshire.

Half the EN:Joy Riders had never done a 10k before or even run at all. We did our first training run ever on Wednesday 21 August, setting off from EN’s Sovereign Court offices for a steady 2.5k up the Trans Pennine Trail and back again, and put in at least one training run a week from the office since then.

After setting off in a torrential downpour in Sheffield city centre on Sunday 22 September, first back over the finish line was Lauren Riley from EN:Able Build with a chip time of 55:20, followed by Lewis Collier (EN:Procure), Mick Hall (EN:Procure), Jay Patel (EN:Procure), Liz Butcher (ENHL) and Caroline Lee (EN:Able Futures). Our Chief Executive Lee Parkinson made the trip to Sheffield specially to cheer us all on over the line.

Help 4 Homeless Veterans may be a small charity but their hard work and commitment to supporting veterans in South Yorkshire with nowhere to live is making a huge difference to individual lives. Unlike some larger charities, all funds go directly to support veterans.

The charity was founded by an ex-soldier and is run by ex-servicemen, for ex-servicemen. Their determined efforts have resulted in hundreds of homeless veterans being helped off the streets and given a place to stay temporarily or a home of their own. They also receive a full package of support into training and employment and with their mental health to help them turn their lives around and realise their true potential. Help 4 Homeless Veterans’ unique advantage is that they are small enough to react quickly. They are able either to give help directly and rapidly to individual veterans finding themselves with nowhere to live or refer them to the best organisation able to provide assistance.