Tim Hale takes over from Jim Nicoll to lead the Marafun committee ahead of the event on Sunday, May 30.

Tim Hale is looking forward to the challenge of staging this major Rotary fund-raiser which takes place every second year.

Tim said: "Two years ago, as a fairly new Rotarian about to give my vocational presentation, I was sitting at the top table when Len Williamson quietly asked me: "Would I take on Marafun?" I said yes.

"Little did I realise what I had committed myself to, but thanks to all the members of my committee David Arnot, Ken Stewart, Ian Findlay, Alec Mill, Harold Jackson, John Seaton, Scott Ballantyne, Colin Muir and president David, with all their past experience, they have made life very easy, so far.

"I would also like to thank Angus Council 'Event Safety Team' for all their co-operation and assistance in the planning.

"I would not have got very far with the Marafun without the help of one very important person - Jim Nicoll. Jimmy and I have spent many hours and drank lots of coffee while going over all the information from past events."

The club announced at a meeting on Wednesday, February 24, at the Royal Hotel that it will donate a greater percentage of funds raised to local charities.

Tim said: "The 2010 Marafun is on May 30, and this year the proceeds will go to Cancer Research at Ninewells and to local charities.

"This year we have decided to allocate a larger percentage of the total to local charities, so the people of Forfar area benefit more from Marafun.

"Mark Guild has stepped in, with Guild Homes as our main sponsor, with the generous sum of £5,000, and many thanks go to the firm for its generosity."

The club revealed it will be expanding the Marafun to appeal to a wider audience.

Tim said: "For 2010 we decided to expand the event. Over and above all the usual entertainment we will have the international market with stalls from all over Europe and as far away as Asia, Peru, Turkey, Brazil, Ecuador, Morocco and Ghana.

"This will be in located in West High Street and around the Cross, along with the other stalls in the Buttermarket.

"The stage will be on the new raised area in front of the Canmore Room with the burger van close by. We feel all this should attract additional visitors as it is a holiday weekend.

"We have dropped the junior race which normally started before the main race; we felt that two laps of the Marafun course on a hot day was too much for them.

"In its place we decided to hold a five kilometre walk round Forfar Loch for non runners, schools, sports clubs and families.

"This year the walk is called the Purple Pinkie Walk in aid of the Thanks for Life/Polio Plus Challenge. If the walk is a success we will either include it in the 2012 Marafun under a different name or hold it as a completely separate event, possibly between Marafun years."