Sainsbury’s Chief Executive Justin King begins his Sport Relief Challenge

Sainsbury’s Chief Executive Justin King begins his Sport Relief Challenge

19 March 2014

Today, Justin King, Chief Executive of Sainsbury’s began his Sport Relief Challenge. Over the next four days he will run a mile at 17 different locations across the UK before culminating with a run, swim and cycle at the flagship Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games, at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, on Sunday 23rd March. Over 1,000 of the retailer’s colleagues from across the UK will run a mile with King.

King kicked off his challenge at Loftus Road, west London, home of Queens Park Rangers FC before flying to Belfast. On Thursday, King will run a mile in Belfast, Edinburgh, Tyneside, Doncaster and Warrington. On Friday, he will complete miles in Shrewsbury, Longbridge, Gloucester, Somerset, Andover and Crawley. On Saturday, King will be running in Dulwich, Beckenham, Larkfield, Cambridge and Stevenage before finishing his challenge at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Justin's SR14 Challenge QPR 2

Justin King said: "It’s not too late for people to get involved by signing up to the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games and pledging to run, swim or cycle a mile, or buy official merchandise and help smash previous fundraising targets. I have seen what a real difference the money makes to those most in need here and overseas, and am grateful to everyone who has sponsored me. I have already beaten my target of £70,000, and the donations are still coming in."

Sainsbury's has been a supporter of Comic Relief since 1999 and has so far donated over £74m to the charity with a record £11.5m raised last year for Red Nose Day.

Sainsbury’s is an official retailer of Sport Relief merchandise which this year includes the official Sport Relief t-shirt, priced at just £10 and the Sport Relief headband, priced at just £2.50. All profit from the sale of the merchandise goes to Sport Relief.

Sport Relief takes place every other year. This is Justin King’s fourth Sport Relief Challenge since he became Chief Executive of Sainsbury’s in 2004.

Notes to editors

About Sainsbury's Sport Relief Games

The first ever Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games take place from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd March 2014. The public can join the fun and games by running, swimming or cycling their way to raising cash at over a thousand venues around the country, including the landmark events at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

About Sport Relief

As one of the UK’s biggest fundraising events, Sport Relief brings the entire nation together to get active, raise cash and change lives. Since 2002, Sport Relief has raised over £195 million. The money raised by the public is spent by Comic Relief to help people living incredibly tough lives, both at home in the UK and across the world. Visit www.sportrelief.com to keep up with the latest news.

Comic Relief is a UK charity, which aims to create a just world, free from poverty. The money raised by Comic Relief, through its fundraising campaigns Red Nose Day and Sport Relief as well as other initiatives, is spent at home in the UK and across the world to help people, families and whole communities stand on their own two feet.

Comic Relief is a registered charity 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland)