Capetonian Ray Chaplin will be running the Old Mutual Two Oceans half marathon on Easter Saturday 7 April to raise much-needed funds for the event's official charity, Habitat for Humanity South Africa.

Chaplin will be dragging a makeshift shack around with him to raise awareness and funds for Habitat for Humanity South Africa. Chaplin feels that this is his way of contributing towards increasing awareness and raising additional funds for Habitat for Humanity South Africa. "It's definitely won't be an easy accomplishment for me but that's part of the deal. It's a challenge and it certainly attracts attention, which helps the charity in terms of overall awareness."

Chaplin is the founder of 3Poles, a Cape Town-based adventure and community outreach company aimed at making a difference in the lives of South Africans by undertaking local and international expeditions to help raise awareness and funds in support of best practice organisations, while empowering people with the knowledge that they can achieve.

According to Chaplin, he chooses events that will create the maximum amount of media coverage as possible, by being relevant and newsworthy. "This helps the sponsors, who receive exposure, as well as the communities and organisations that benefit through our fundraising activities.

"Habitat for Humanity South Africa is the official charity for the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon and another event we are involved with - the X-SA Shack Pull. It made sense for me to enter the half marathon as well to help Habitat raise much needed funds," said Chaplin.

Chaplin will start the race towards the back and make his way through the 10 000 plus participants, dragging his bright yellow shack. Chaplin says it is extremely tough to run 21 km with this shack and to navigate it through all the other runners

Habitat for Humanity South Africa is a non-profit Christian organisation that works in partnership with communities to help families living in poverty housing to build and own simple, decent and affordable houses. Since 1996, the organisation has built close to 1 800 houses in the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Gauteng/North West provinces, providing shelter for 8 000 people across the country and bringing together people across racial, economic, cultural and social boundaries.

For more information on 3Poles visit www.3poles.co.za. Those wanting to contribute towards Habitat's cause can visit www.twooceansmarathon.org.za or www.habitat.org.za.