The South West gets ready, set, go for Sport Relief

Famous faces are backing the return of Sport Relief today (21 January) and urging people to sign up for one of the events taking place across the South West.

This year is bigger and better than ever as, for the first time, the public can make every mile count by choosing to run, swim or cycle at the Sainsbury’s Sport Games across one weekend from 21–23rd March 2014.

It’s already warming up to be an epic weekend with events taking place in Plymouth, North Devon, Cornwall and many more locations across the region. Fundraisers can go to www.sportrelief.com to find local events and enter now.

Leigh-Anne Pinnock, from Little Mix, said: “We just got back from Liberia where we visited a project that’s been helped with money raised for Sport Relief.  It was shocking to see how tough people’s lives are in the slums there, but knowing  how the money raised really does help change lives was inspiring and that’s why I hope everyone gets involved, signs up to the Games and does their bit this year.”

Last time around, in 2012, the generous South West raised and donated more than £690,000 and that money has helped fund more than 150 projects across the region, like Plymouth District & Deaf Children’s Society which has been working with families for almost 50 years, providing advice and emotional and practical support. The organisation, which currently works with 74 deaf people aged from birth to 18, also runs activities including a youth club and activities for families who can struggle to get out frequently without that support.

Chairperson Yvette Beer’s daughter is profoundly deaf after suffering meningitis as a toddler. She said: "I really benefited from the support of other families going through the same thing, they became a huge crutch for me as I came to terms with what had happened. Deafness can be a very isolating experience for both parents and child and we help them overcome those barriers."

A small Comic Relief grant funded training in British Sign Language for members of the project committee. Yvette says: "We need our people to be able to use sign language to build relationships with the wider deaf community, links that are vitally important for all of our families in accessing services, advice and support."

Money raised by joining in the Sport Relief fun and games will continue to help people living unimaginably tough lives in the world’s poorest countries, across the UK and right here in the South West.

It’s not just the public who will be taking on the fundraising challenge. Daring Davina McCall has pledged to go the extra mile in the BT Sport Relief Challenge: Davina – Beyond Breaking Point. She will travel across the UK, all under her own steam – and all in the name of Sport Relief. By running, swimming and cycling for seven solid days, Davina will hit the streets – and waters – of the UK in a bid to raise as much cash as she can and inspire the great British public to take on their own challenges, sporty or not!

Also sounding the starting klaxon to launch this year’s Sport Relief is the UK’s freshest and most exciting girl band, Little Mix, who are recording this year’s single. The girls just returned from a moving trip to Liberia to see how Sport Relief cash can help change lives and are keen to get the campaign started and motivate the public to get involved.

February will see the launch of a brand new show for Sport Relief 2014, Sport Relief’s Top Dog, on BBC Two. Celebrity team captains and members of the public will all put their best paw forward as pet pooches and their owners compete to be crowned top dog.

On Friday 21 March the BBC will treat the nation to a super special night of Sport Relief TV, with presenters including Gary Lineker, Gaby Logan, Claudia Winkleman, Jack Whitehall, Clare Balding amongst others, hosting a star-studded show full of celebrity performances, comedy sketches, highlights from this year’s challenges and films about the incredible work Sport Relief supports. Del Boy and Rodney will also be back on TV screens after 10 years with a special Only Fools and Horses Sport Relief sketch. Strictly host, Tess Daly, will reveal the judges’ favourite partnership from Sport Relief Does Strictly, where four Paralympians and their professional dance partners, will have taken on a group dance challenge, hoping to impress the judges and take home the Sport Relief glitter ball trophy on the night.

On Sunday 23rd March BBC One will host the Sport Relief Games Show, with Alex Jones and Matt Baker, live from Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The show will bring all the highlights as the great British public are joined by numerous famous faces as they make every mile count by taking part on foot, bike or in water throughout the day.

To help motivate the nation there are a whole host of famous faces from the world of entertainment and sport taking part in the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games up and down the country and across the weekend including Denise van Outen,  Ricky Hatton, Danielle O’Hara, Ben Fogle and Gaby Roslin among many others.  There are accessible and challenging events for everyone to sign-up and get involved at www.sportrelief.com:

·        Walk, jog or run the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile, choosing from  one, three or six mile distances

Choose from a range of individual and team distances for the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Swimathon, including 1.5km, 2.5km and 5km or people can choose their own distance with SimplySwim

Participants can cycle 25 miles, 50 miles or get the whole family involved in a 3 mile cycle for the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Cycle taking place in Glasgow, Manchester and London’s Lee Valley VeloPark

The nation can get their head in the game and add a touch of retro style to their workout by donning the Sport Relief Headband available from all Sainsbury’s stores from 19 February, participating Oxfam shops from 17 February and sportrelief.com from 7 January. They can also show their support for Sport Relief by pulling on one of the official T-shirts from Sainsbury’s stores available from 22 January in both sporty and fashion styles in a range of sizes.

The official Sport Relief single, Word Up, a cover of the 1986 Cameo smash hit, by Little Mix, is released in March and is sure to be a fierce hit to empower those taking part in their own Sport Relief challenge.

Money raised from Sport Relief will be spent helping some of the poorest and most disadvantaged people in the UK and around the world.

For more information about how to have fun, raise cash and change lives by entering the unmissable Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games, go to www.sportrelief.com.