SIX weeks into a new job and a member of staff is getting ready to take the plunge to boost a Haddington charity.

Daniel Rutherford is gearing up for a sprint triathlon in the Highlands, with money raised going to New Beginnings Club.

The charity, on Haddington’s Sidegate, supports people with learning and physical disabilities and has been named ELCAP’s charity of the year.

Daniel, who is one of the operational leads at ELCAP, told the Courier: “Coming to work for ELCAP, I heard about the New Beginnings Club through the management team. We are affiliated with them and they are our charity of the year.

“I got an information leaflet and had a look at some of the things they do. They support a lot of our service users and I felt it was a really nice fit.”

The 43-year-old will travel to Aviemore on Sunday to take on the triathlon.

After completing a 500-metre outdoor swim, he will ditch the wetsuit and get on his bike for a 12-kilometre cross-country cycle, before finishing with a five-kilometre cross-country run.

He said: “Every now and again, I do a fitness challenge. I have done Tough Mudder and a few events before. One of my friends thought doing a sprint triathlon would be an interesting alternative and it seemed a nice way to do a fundraiser.

“Training is going well and I have been swimming at Portobello three times a week and doing some running, a bit of cycling and a bit of exercise in the morning.

“I am not a fitness person and it is a challenge to get fit enough to do this. I had never, ever done open water swimming until about three or four weeks ago and I am really looking forward to that. I am enjoying swimming in the sea and this is going to be in a loch.”

Daniel, who lives in Edinburgh, started with ELCAP, a non-profit charity looking to enable people in East and Midlothian to live the lives they want, just over a month ago.

He is looking to raise £250 for New Beginnings Club (NBC), which was originally founded as a gardening group.

NBC focuses on ‘home-grown’ activities devised and run by members themselves, with volunteer support. Activities include social evenings, an arts and crafts club and trips.

NBC also focuses on healthy living through its allotments and its healthy eating cookery classes, guided nature walks and self-development.

Support Daniel at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/newbeginingsclub