Get ready for Sport Relief mile

The charity event takes place on Sunday 20 March 2016 at Welland Park with participants choosing to run or walk one, three or six miles. 

People of all ages can get involved in the fun and help to raise money for Sport Relief. 

The event will open from 10:30am with the race setting off at 11am. Participants are asked to meet at the Welland Park café.

Local sports teams, groups and businesses are also being encouraged to enter the mile-long course. 

Merchandise, including T-shirts, wristbands, softballs and yo-yos, is now available in Sainsbury’s stores with all profits going to Sport Relief. Sainsbury’s in Market Harborough is holding a sports day on Friday 18 March with an in-store Row to Rio event, and some members of Sainsbury’s staff are doing a 31 mile charity walk and visiting three Sainsbury’s stores en route.

Rob Johnson, Store Manager at Sainsbury’s Market Harborough said: “We’re looking forward to seeing our colleagues and customers get involved in this year’s Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games. Not only is the event going to be brilliant fun but there’s the opportunity raise money for a fantastic cause. We’ll also be running fundraising events in store and have a fantastic array of merchandise on sale.”

Four-time Paralympic champion swimmer Ellie Simmonds is backing the event and encouraging everyone to get involved.

Ellie said: “Sport Relief is one of the UK’s biggest fundraising events and I encourage everyone in the Harborough district to get involved by taking part in the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games or buying some of the fun Sport Relief products available in Sainsbury’s. Sport Relief does great work and it’s brilliant to see the enthusiasm for this year’s event. With Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games events happening right across the country, I encourage people to take part and do themselves proud.”

Harborough District Council is also supporting the event with the council’s sport and health team helping out in Welland Park on the day. 

Cllr Rosita Page, Harborough District Council’s portfolio holder for communities, said: “This is always a really fun event and I hope people of all ages get involved to help raise money for a great cause whilst having a really enjoyable time.”

Sport Relief helps people living incredibly tough lives. Half of all the money raised by the public for Sport Relief is used to make a difference, at home in the UK. The other 50% is used to transform lives across the world’s poorest communities.

For more information and to order your fundraising pack visit www.sportrelief.com/get-involved

If you would like to show your support by volunteering to help at the Sport Relief Mile – eg marshalling, please email activetogether@harborough.gov.uk

Pictured: Pupils at Robert Smyth School in Market Harborough, with representatives from Sainsbury's and the council's leisure team encourage people to join this year's Sport Relief Mile.