THE junior vice-president of the UK’s largest teaching union, NASUWT, will be competing in a triathlon to raise money and awareness for those unlawfully imprisoned in Columbia.

Appleton resident John Rimmer will take part in Nantwich’s Sundog Cheshire Triathlon on Sunday, May 31.

The fundraising event will see the dad-of-four swim 400 Metres, cycle 20Km and run three km.

The challenge shouldn’t be too difficult for Mr Rimmer who is a qualified PE teacher and a former player of Warrington Town Football Club.

Justice for Columbia, his chosen cause, campaigns for human rights, workers’ rights and the search for peace with social justice in Columbia.

He said: “In Columbia a teacher can leave home and say goodbye to their family and it can mean goodbye. Teachers are assassinated, kidnapped and imprisoned.

“It’s a fascist Government, last month three teachers were assassinated on the way to school. It’s so bad that they have to take different routes to school to avoid being ambushed.

“They can’t join trade unions, they don’t want to spend money on the education.”

The group was formed in 2002 by British trade unionists. In that year 184 unionists were assassinated.

Despite the amount of deaths annually, in the vast majority of cases nobody is ever convicted.

Hundreds of political prisoners are held in the country and include trade unionists, student activists, community, indigenous leaders and human rights defenders - all imprisoned for their opposition to the Government’s policies.

Mr Rimmer added: “The NASUWT has lobbied the Government to do something about it.”

Campaigners call for the regime to give prisoners a fair trial or to release them immediately.

The organisation also wants to see the overcrowding and living conditions addressed.

Todonate money contact Mr Rimmer’s office on 01257 256809.