Over 180 managers and staff from Arun Estates took part in the annual Blenheim Triathlon, raising thousands of pounds for a range of local charities.

Held in the grounds of Blenheim Palace at Woodstock in Oxfordshire each year, the event involves a 750m swim followed by a 20km bike ride and a 6km run.

Of the few corporate participants, Arun is the largest.

As well as 16 individual entrants, it fielded a total of 55 relay teams representing each of its four regional brands – Ward & Partners in Kent, Cubitt & West in Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire, Douglas Allen in London and Essex, and Pittis on the Isle of Wight – as well as several teams drawn from the group’s administrative and support departments.

This was the third year that Arun has been involved in the triathlon.

One third of all monies raised will go to the group’s designated children’s charity, Action Medical Research, with the remaining two thirds going to local charities nominated by each group company.

Group managing director David Lench said: “Charity fundraising is closely bound up with everything we do here at Arun.

“Major events like Blenheim are obviously very important in this regard, as well as being a lot of fun and a great way to foster the team spirit which is so important to our business.

“Nevertheless, we take great pride in the fact that over the year as a whole, the bulk of the money we raise, which last year amounted to over £100,000, actually comes from the host of small events organised at grassroots level by our branches and individual members of staff.

“A week hardly goes by without someone somewhere in the network organising a quiz night, a car wash, or a cake sale.”