Branson beats Obama as celebrity dream boss

Cancer Research UK challenges the UK workforce to Run 10k

BRITISH billionaire Sir Richard Branson has been named as the celebrity Brits would most like as their boss. The mogul has topped the list of well known business faces in a poll of over 2,000 people by Cancer Research UK for its Run 10k event series.

Cancer Research UK conducted the research to launch the 10k running event series and its ‘Take 5 Challenge’ – five easy steps designed to help busy British workers, and their bosses, improve their general heath and fitness and sign up to a Run 10k event this autumn.

Branson, who has received plenty of awards over the course of his career, secured 24% of the vote, pipping US president Barack Obama into second place with 17% of the vote. Lord Alan Sugar and Simon Cowell shared the third spot receiving 5% of the vote each.

Sir Richard Branson said: “It’s a real honour to be voted the nation’s dream boss and I’m chuffed to be up there with the likes of Simon Cowell! I have always believed that all the wonderful people in my organisation work with me, not for me. I would encourage anyone to enter Cancer Research UK’s Run 10k, I think it’s a great challenge to set yourself and one that anyone can do with a bit of training and motivation. What a great sense of achievement knowing you’ve raised money to help beat cancer at the same time. Also good training for the Virgin London Marathon in 2010!”

The survey also looked at how the economic downturn has affected our working lives. The research showed that a quarter of Brits (25%) are spending more time at work compared to this time last year and that over half of those that are currently working (56 %) admit that work affects the level of exercise they do. In light of the findings, Cancer Research UK launched the ‘Take 5 Challenge’ to help people incorporate exercise into their busy lives.

The charity has worked closely with celebrity fitness expert Steve Halsall to create the ‘Take 5 Challenge’,which can be viewed and downloaded at www.Run 10k.org/take5challenge.

A plan for the less experienced jogger, as well an in-depth plan for the more seasoned runner keen to beat their personal best, can be downloaded from the site.’

With 43 events taking place across the UK this autumn, Cancer Research UK’s Run 10k series offers people the opportunity to feel good, do something positive and raise money to help fund the charity’s life saving work. The charity hopes that 60,000 men and women will come together to raise just over £6million to help beat cancer.

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For more press information please call the Cancer Research UK PR team on 020 7061 8315

*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2030 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 19th – 22nd June 2009. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).