Five friends have joined together to put on a double fundraising effort for charity.

They will be running the Brighton marathon next month, two days after holding a music evening in Bungay.

And the 'medi marathon men' are documenting their events on camera as they raise money for a charity that installs cinemas into hospitals.

Leo Altarelli, Matthew Pescod, Kristian Andrews, Matthew Kinsella and Theo Godley decided to raise money for MediCinema after Leo, of Ditchingham, near Bungay, stumbled across the charity in the paper.

The film-maker and musician travelled with friend and business partner Theo, 30, to London to speak with founder Christine Hill about possible promotion work.

Together Leo and Theo, from Lough-borough, run Lunchbox films – a business which holds animation workshops with children – but their talks soon took an unexpected twist.

Leo, 28, said: 'She said she was interested in working with us. She bought us a pint, asked if we knew anyone who wanted to run the marathon, and at that point we thought it was a great idea.'

Soon the two had signed up their friends, Matthew Pescod, 28, from Uggeshall near Halesworth, Kristian Andrews, 26, formerly of Bungay, and Matthew Kinsella, 27, from Ellingham, near Bungay.

Leo said: 'We are all quite active and play football, but it was something that everyone had not done before, so we were really interested in having a go for charity.'

The group grew up together and share an interest in music and the arts, so thought they would put their other skills to use by putting on a show. Their charity night will be held at the Fisher Theatre, in Bungay, on April 8, and will include an evening of music as well as a charity auction, led by auctioneer Rob Kinsella. Lots will include an opportunity to walk down the red carpet at a movie premiere in London and a chance to spend a day sailing on the Broads.

Among the acts performing are The Leo Altarelli Jive Band, singer-songwriter Matthew P, howling blues funk act The Fuzz and Suffolk songstress Amy Beskin.

They are also using their artistic skills to make blogs and films of their marathon training.

On the day Leo expects group members to run alongside each other as they are hoping to film their efforts on handheld cameras. 'We will do interviews with each other and will hopefully try to speak to some other people as well,' he said.

Through their efforts the 'medi marathon men' are aiming to raise �5,000 for MediCinema.

The charity has been able to install free cinemas at St Thomas' Hospital, London, the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow, and the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle.

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/medimarathonmen and to see the blog visit www.medimarathonmen.tumblr.com

richard.wood@archant.co.uk