BBC Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox has been running the equivalent of five marathons in five days to raise money for Children in Need – and just received a message from Prince William
The Prince of Wales has praised BBC Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox for her incredible Children In Need challenge, which saw her cover a whopping 135 miles in five days and raise over £4 million. Sara, who is the host of Radio 2’s weekday Teatime Show, will wrap up her Great Northern Marathon Challenge on Friday, having covered the distance of five marathons in as many days.
Overwhelmed by the staggering amount raised, Sara broke down as she expressed her gratitude: “Everybody just giving a fiver or a tenner did it, that is amazing. Thank you so much. Thanks to everybody who has donated, you’re absolutely awesome.”
Sporting a Pudsey Bear backpack, Cox will finish her journey in Pudsey, Leeds, after starting in Kielder Forest and passing through Northumberland, Durham, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.
Prince William sent a video message, which was aired by Scott Mills on his Radio 2 breakfast show. He commended: “Sara, massive congratulations for what you’re doing.
“You’re so nearly there, just a little bit further, and I know the people of Pudsey will all come out and welcome you with huge open arms, big hugs, and hopefully, lots of your favourite crumpets. Keep going, you’ve done fantastically well, and the nation’s so proud of you.”
This challenge marks the longest ever undertaken by Radio 2 as part of the annual fundraiser. Her fellow Radio 2 presenter Trevor Nelson revealed to Cox on Thursday that the total raised had exceeded £3 million.
She shared that she had been buoyed by support from numerous women throughout her challenge. “We are not women of a certain vintage, we are not women of a certain age, we are women over 50,” she said. “It’s just the beginning when you get to 50, I’m loving being 50.”
She also disclosed that her mum and sister from India had rung her whilst she walked past a phone box during Thursday’s marathon stretch from Richmond to Ripley.
The BBC’s yearly Children In Need fundraising spectacular kicks off on BBC iPlayer and BBC One at 7pm on Friday.
The broadcast, presented by Paddy McGuinness, Big Zuu, Mel Giedroyc, Rochelle Humes, Vernon Kay and Lenny Rush, will feature musical acts including McFly frontman Tom Fletcher and girl group Remember Monday, plus comedy segments starring BBC legends from The Apprentice, EastEnders and Gladiators.
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