Leicestershire to take on mile challenge

Date: Monday 22 February 2010

Leicestershire CCC will be doing their bit for Sport Relief with a mile-long run at Grace Road.

Youngsters from the Academy and age group programmes will join a number of senior pros and coaching staff on Saturday, March 20 in order to raise money for the excellent cause.

As a sporting city, Leicester are proud to be associated with Sport Relief and Leicester City favourite Gary Lineker and former Tigers players Martin Johnson and Austin Healey have been heavily involved in the campaign.

So Leicestershire are delighted to be involved and in total, around 150 people will be doing the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile.

Charles Wootton, 18, is on the Academy and he will be doing the run on the day. He said that everyone is relishing the prospect of being involved.

He said: “Everyone is looking forward to it, we have been preparing everything for a few weeks now.

“Everyone at the club is getting involved, from the ground staff to the youngsters to the coaches and the senior pros. It will be a good day.

“People can come and watch and we will be having a number of pro challenges and people can also get their autographs. Hopefully it will be a big event and we can then build on it next year.

“It is a great cause and we are looking to raise as much as we can. All the young guys will be sponsored and hopefully we can raise plenty for Spotrt Relief.”

As well as raising plenty of money for such a good cause, Charles also thinks the idea of getting fit is a good theme for the event.

Charles has been on Leicestershire’s Academy for three years and says that fitness is a crucial part of trying to become a professional sportsman.

He said: “They look after us in the Academy and at the moment we have three or four sessions a week.

“We practise our cricket skils but a big part of it is with fitness, such as gym sessions and nutrition and lifestyle sessions too.

“It is good for us to keep fit and raise money at the same time for charity.”

Leicestershire Chief Executive David Smith is delighted the club’s youngsters and professionals are getting involved.

He said: “Sport Relief is a very worthy cause and we are extremely pleased that are everyone is helping to raise money for it.

“We at Leicestershire pride ourselves on keeping fit and raising money for good causes so this will be an ideal day for the Club.

“Hopefully we will raise lots of money and everyone will have fun on the day.”

All money raised is spent by Comic Relief to help transform the lives of poor and vulnerable people, both at home and across the world’s poorest countries.

Everyone will be sponsored, and to pledge a donation, please email enquiries@leicestershireccc.co.uk

To find out more about other events, please visit www.sportrelief.com.