Sweating it Out for Sports Relief
20th June 2006
Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test was among a whole team of MPs and members of the House of Lords who came together last Wednesday to complete the Westminster Mile and raise money for Sport Relief.
Dr Whitehead, was among more than 70 Houses of Parliament members - including Minister for Sport, Richard Caborn - who swapped their suits for shorts, trainers and their first Sport Relief red sock before going the distance around St James's Park.
The MPs and Peers were in great company; starters orders came from legendary four-minute miler Sir Roger Bannister and Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Tessa Jowell. First past the post was Labour MP Jim Murphy with a winning time of 5mins 22seconds, four seconds faster than his 2004 Westminster Mile record. Hot on his heals were Willie Rennie MP and Tom Brake MP.
Everyone put their best feet forward to help vulnerable people here in the UK and some of the world's poorest countries, supported by Sport Relief. They are now calling on the rest of the nation to Go The Extra Mile and sign-up for the Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile on 15 July; people from Southampton can go the distance at Hoglands park.
Dr Whitehead said:
'I was really pleased to complete the mile in just over 7 minutes but whilst it is a good test of your fitness that is not what this event is really about. Sports relief raises money for really important causes and I hope that people across Southampton will also turn out to take part in this important awareness raising event later in July.'
Richard Caborn, Minister for Sport, said:
"This has been a fantastic event. It is great to see so many of my Parliamentary colleagues getting their trainers on and stretching their legs for Sport Relief. Whether running or walking, I hope everyone has just enjoyed taking part and raising money for such a good cause."
To see the slightly rosy-faced MPs and Peers together with tens of thousands of Sainsbury's Sport Relief Milers in action you can tune into Sport Relief on BBC ONE, 15 July. Highlights will be part of The Sport Relief Mile show (10:30am - 12:00pm) presented by John Inverdale and The Night (19:00 - 00:30), presented by Chris Evans, Davina McCall, and Gary Lineker.
About Sport Relief
- Sport Relief is an initiative of Comic Relief, registered charity 326568, in association with BBC Sport
- Since its launch in 2002, Sport Relief has raised over £30 million
- Half of the money raised will be spent in the UK to help give those living in disadvantaged and divided communities a better life; the other half will help children and young people in the world's poorest countries, faced with the daily reality of extreme poverty, abuse and exploitation
- There are 15 national mile events taking place as well as hundreds more locally organised ones
- The Southampton Mile starts at Hoglands Park (just behind Debenhams) on Saturday July 15th at 10am.
