Two senior data professionals have joined forces to launch a new scheme designed to maintain physical and mental well-being during the Covid-19 lockdown as well as unite the data community in raising funds for charity.
Data5k is the brainchild of MBN Solutions principal consultant David Henderson and Virgin Money data scientist Gavin Allan and involves participants walking, running or cycling 5 kilometres.
They then record their best time, upload to a website for all to see so they can compare it to others and, finally, make a donation to a good cause.
The idea is that it not only uses the recommended hour of exercise each day as a platform to encourage activity, it also allows the data community to stay in touch on a social level, all while raising much-needed funds for charitable organisations.
Henderson and Allan have teamed up on this project to celebrate the strength, togetherness and ultimately, the power of the data community. They are both passionate about the outdoors, data, and making a positive impact in the world. This project unites these passions and supports those who need it most - now, and in the future.
MBN Solutions and Virgin Money have a history of collaboration in areas such as Data Lab’s MSc Placement Programme and the Scotland Data Science & Technology Meet-Up Group.
Henderson said: “This was one idea that I wasn’t going to let sit and gather cobwebs, it had to be actioned and Gavin was the first person to come to mind to make the idea a reality. Data5k was founded from our passion for data, the outdoors and positively impacting the world we live in. It’s now over to the data community to help us on achieve our goal.”
Allan added: “When David came to me with the idea, I saw it as a great opportunity to combine our skills and enthusiasm for using data for good. Data5k originated as a concept on Wednesday morning and the live, fully functional, website was completed by Thursday evening.
“The aim is to bring people together, celebrate data and support good causes throughout the UK – from what I have experienced of the data community I have no doubt in our ability to achieve this as one.”
More information is available on the programme at the #Data 5k website.
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