HUNDREDS of county residents are getting ready to pull on their trainers for Sport Relief.

Events will be taking place from today to Sunday across Oxfordshire for the cause, which raises cash for Comic Relief.

People are urged to walk, run or sprint one-, three- or six-mile courses. City events on Sunday include runs at Cutteslowe Park from 9.30am and at Oxford Brookes University’s Harcourt Hill Campus, North Hinksey, from 10.30am. The two events have raised a total of £60,000 since 2008.

The national fundraiser began in 2004 and is held every two years, raising funds for charities and projects across Britain and the developing world.

County charities that have benefited include mental health charity Oxfordshire Mind, Age UK Oxfordshire and Witney’s Base 33 Youth Trust.

More than 300 people have signed up for the Oxford Mile in Cutteslowe Park so far. People can join online until 7pm tomorrow and there will be up to 100 spaces available on the day.

Among those set to take part at the event will be members of diet firm MoreLife.

The firm, which is contracted by Oxfordshire County Council to help the overweight lose weight, has seen 953 people since September.

Programme leader Sam Bramald said: “Our staff will be running the one-mile Sport Relief course and we are hoping some of our MoreLife patients will join us too. For some of our patients, running a mile like this will be a major achievement – as well as getting out there and raising funds for some great causes.

We also hope to raise awareness of the range of council-funded help available to people struggling with their weight.”

The event will also include table tennis and basketball taster sessions. Both city events have been organised by Oxford City Council’s Go Active team.

Co-ordinator Vicki Galvin said: “There is still time to sign up to walk, run, hop or skip the one, three or six miles.”

The team is seeking volunteers to help run the events, giving out water and providing information. Call 01865 252720 if you can help.

GET INVOLVED

Other events on Sunday include:

  • Willowbrook Leisure Centre, Avon Way, Didcot, starts 9.30am
  • Thame Lions Mile, Thame, Scout Headquarters, Southern Road, Thame, from 10.30am
  • The Wantage Mile, Wantage Leisure Centre, Portway, from 10am
  • Sport Relief Swimathon, Bicester Sports Centre, Queen’s Avenue, Bicester, from 2.30pm to 5.30pm.
  • Residents at a care home near Witney are taking part in Sport Relief activities today.
  • Middletown Grange in Hailey will be hosting skittles, paper plane throwing, hoopla and card pyramids.
  • Residents will be awarded rosettes for finishing between first and fourth in each event.
  • There will also be a raffle, coffee morning and cake sale from 10.30am to noon at the care home’s Kind Cafe.
  • For more information on Sport Relief, visit sportrelief.com