THE managing director of the Francesco Group is to run two half marathons to raise cash for Stafford's Katharine House Hospice.

Ben Dellicompagni said: "We are a Midlands based business with 31 salons across the heart of England, but we started out in Stafford. Katharine House Hospice is a charity that provides a great service and I am delighted to help them to help local people."

Ben will be running the Stafford half marathon on March 21 and the Edinburgh half marathon on April 18.

Staff at salons and the group headquarters will also be taking place in a number of fund-raising activities to support the hospice throughout 2010 – the 10th anniversary of the hospice in-patient unit.

Katharine House corporate fund-raiser Kelly Day said: "Ben and his team are really pulling out all the stops to help Katharine House. For the MD of a company the size of the Francesco Group to personally take part in fund-raising events is a real commitment to our cause."

The Francesco Group brand has been established for more than 40 years and is renowned as one of the leading training and hair dressing salon groups in the UK.

Anyone wishing to support Ben with his challenges can visit www.justgiving.com/ Ben-Dellicompagni0.