This April, Scimitar Account Manager Kieren Holmes will take on one of the most famous races in the world — the London Marathon — in support of Cancer Research UK.

But this challenge is about far more than running 26.2 miles.
For Kieren, it’s a personal journey driven by loss, determination, and the hope that future generations will see a world where cancer is no longer such a devastating diagnosis.

Kieren is running the London Marathon for Cancer Research UK, a charity that has long been close to Scimitar. Over the years, we’ve been proud to support the organisation through events and campaigns, helping bring their brand to life with high-quality technical apparel and event kit.

For Kieren, however, the cause goes much deeper.

Cancer has touched his family in ways that many people will sadly understand. Close relatives of his were diagnosed with cancer, and some have since passed away.

Their memory is one of the reasons he chose to take on this challenge. As Kieren explains:

What makes Kieren’s story even more powerful is that he had never run long distances before deciding to take on the London Marathon. There were no race medals, no endurance background, and no history of distance running — just a decision to step outside his comfort zone and commit to something meaningful.

Training for a marathon is demanding and requires months of preparation, discipline, and resilience. For Kieren, that journey has meant waking up early before work to fit in miles, dedicating long weekends to training runs, and squeezing in late evening sessions after busy days. It has meant pushing through cold mornings and wet winter evenings, running through rain and darkness when motivation can be hard to find.

Many of those runs have been tough, and some have been exhausting. But with every mile, Kieren moves closer to the moment that matters most — standing on the London Marathon start line and running for a cause that means so much to him.

Cancer affects millions of people across the UK and around the world.

Each year in the UK around 385,000 people diagnosed with cancer, that's more than 1,000 new cases every day. More than that, approximately 167,000 people lose their lives to the disease annually.

While survival rates have doubled since the 1970s, only around half of the people diagnosed survive ten years or more. 

This is why the work of Cancer Research UK remains so important. The charity funds vital research that helps improve treatments, develop new therapies, and ultimately save lives.

Fundraising efforts like Kieren’s marathon run play a small but important role in supporting that work.

At Scimitar, our ethos is simple: #BreakBoundaries.

Kieren’s challenge reflects exactly what that means — pushing beyond comfort zones and committing to something bigger than yourself.

In his role as an Account Manager, Kieren works closely with clubs, charities, and organisations across the UK. He helps them create custom kit, event wear, and branded apparel that brings their events and fundraising campaigns to life.
Now he’s stepping into the role of fundraiser himself.

And the finish line will represent far more than completing a marathon. It will represent months of dedication, personal meaning, and the hope of helping a cause that affects so many people.

We are incredibly proud of Kieren and the dedication he has shown throughout his London Marathon journey for Cancer Research UK.

If you would like to support Kieren and contribute to the work of Cancer Research UK, you can donate through his fundraising page:

Every donation helps fund life-saving research, improve treatments, and bring us closer to a future where cancer survival continues to rise.

And when Kieren crosses the finish line in London this April, every mile will have meant something far greater than the race itself.