The Wales Air Ambulance IT team will be stepping away from ‘all things tech’ when they take on the Cardiff Half Marathon, next month.
With over 27,000 runners expected to take part, it is one of Europe’s largest half marathons.
Kieren King, Nick Bond and Kailum Meloni all work for the Charity and ‘see firsthand the incredible impact it has across Wales’.
“We are fortunate to work for such a brilliant Charity”, said Kieren, 38, Head of Information Technology.
“Wales Air Ambulance makes a lifesaving difference every day! When you hear the helicopter going off on a mission, or a rapid response vehicle pulling off with its siren going, you know it is going to someone who is critically unwell or seriously injured.”
He continued: “It is such a vital service, and as a team we have been talking about doing something meaningful to show our appreciation. Cardiff Half Marathon provided the perfect opportunity for us to team up!”
The event also marks a personal milestone for Kieren, who has only recently returned to doing endurance challenges, after suffering a serious injury back in 2023.
He said: “I broke my leg and had to have my ankle pinned. Unfortunately, I then developed sepsis and necrotising fasciitis, which required emergency lifesaving surgery.”
It has been a long road to recovery for the father-of-two, who added: “It’s taken three years to rebuild my strength and fitness.
“The past twelve months I have been training to return to long-distance hiking and running, I recently did the Peak District challenge, so completing the Cardiff Half Marathon too, will be a significant personal achievement.”
Kieren is continuously improving his lifestyle and is very proud that he has quit smoking for over a year. He says his colleague Nick, who is also a qualified PT instructor, is ‘ensuring everyone stays on track’.
“I am the nominated coach!”, Nick smiled, but he added, “We are all playing our part in encouraging each other in different ways.
“We all live in different parts of the country, Kieren is in England, and Kailum and I are in South Wales – so training together is not possible all the time.
“We keep each other motivated through group chats, sharing progress through Strava.”
The 35-year-old IT engineer has worked for the Charity for four-and-a-half years. Like fellow running partner, Kailum, this is his first Cardiff Half Marathon.
“The service is really incredible”, says Kailum, whose great-grandfather was attended by Wales Air Ambulance.
The 22-year-old who started as an apprentice with the Charity before becoming a Trainee IT Engineer said: “Most people have a story; they know someone who has needed its help.
“For me, this challenge is personal, it’s my way of saying thank you for helping one of my family members.
“Wales Air Ambulance relies on its supporters to help fund it. It surprises me that some people don’t realise that it is a Charity. I hope that our challenge will help raise awareness and inspire people to support the cause in any way they can.”
Kailum, who trains most days in the gym, admits he ‘initially thought twice’ about signing up for the Cardiff Half Marathon, but is ‘glad’ he did.
He added: “The service needs everyone to play their part and support the cause. You never know when you might need them!”
Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and, if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury.
It is delivered via a unique third sector and public-sector partnership. The Wales Air Ambulance Charity relies on public donations to raise the £13 million required every year to keep the helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road.
The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the Charity’s vehicles.
This advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident.
As a pan-Wales service, its dedicated crews, regardless of where they are based, will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency lifesaving care.
The ‘tech trio’ are now on a mission to help raise as much as they can for Wales Air Ambulance. They said: “We’ve upgraded from running scripts to running splits!
“Please help us go the distance — for every mile we run, you will be helping save lives across Wales. Thank you for your support — and for helping turn our miles into missions.”
Kieren, Nick and Kailum will join runners on the start line at the Cardiff Half Marathon on Sunday 4 October 2026.
Phae Jones, Director of Income Generation at Wales Air Ambulance said: “Kieren, Nick and Kailum, are our ‘go to’ for all things IT – they keep our tech running smoothly!
“It’s brilliant to see them wearing the Charity colours and we are delighted that they will be flying the flag for our lifesaving service at the Cardiff Half Marathon.
“We’ve been keeping up to date on how their training is going, and it is fantastic to see how motivated they are to get over the finish line.
“Our fundraisers provide an important lifeline for the Charity, helping raise vital funds for our service each year.
“They ensure that we can continue to be there for the people of Wales wherever and whenever they need us. Every pound raised makes a lifesaving difference. Diolch yn fawr!”
