Carmichael joins Westminster Sport Relief charity mile

11.27.00am GMT Thu 11th Mar 2010

Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael joined more than 30 MPs and Members of the House of Lords to complete a Westminster Mile for Sport Relief on Wednesday 10th March.

More than 30 Parliamentarians, including Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe, swapped their suits for shorts, trainers and Sport Relief Socks to test their sporting prowess in St James’s Park. They were joined by former British and Irish Lions rugby player Kyran Bracken who helped spur them on to the finishing line.

Commenting, Mr Carmichael said:

‘Since Sport Relief began in 2002 it has raised millions of pounds for good causes around the world. MPs are more familiar with running for election than running for charity but I was delighted to be able to play my small part in this year’s campaign.

‘Running a mile for Sport Relief is a quick and easy way to make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable people in the UK and across the developing world.

‘In almost 9 years as a member of Parliament this is only the second time that I have taken part in an event that requires exposure of my knees. I am not one of nature’s athletes. If I can do it and put my dignity on the line then so can anybody else.’

Kyran Bracken added:

‘It’s been brilliant to see our politicians sweating it out for Sport Relief, so I’d encourage everyone to follow their lead and sign up to do their own Mile now at sportrelief.com.’

All the money raised will be spent by Comic Relief to help vulnerable people here in the UK and across the world’s poorest countries. For more information or to sign up for the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile go to www.sportrelief.com.

Notes:

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. The Sport Relief Weekend takes place from Friday 19th March to Sunday 21st March 2010 including a night of Sport Relief telly on BBC One and the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile events across the UK on Sunday 21st March. All the cash raised by the public will help transform the lives of those living tough lives across the UK and the world’s poorest countries.

Since its launch in 2002, millions of people have taken part in Sport Relief, helping to raise over £80 million. Sport Relief has a unique history of dedicated people doing extraordinary things to rise to the challenge, from David Walliams’ astonishing swim across the English Channel to Eddie Izzard’s truly amazing marathon a day around the UK. Further information is available on www.sportrelief.com