Audley Harrison helps KO homelessness with Crisis
Audley Harrison MBE Olympic and EBU European Heavyweight boxing champion has become official patron of Crisis Sports Team - a portfolio of challenging international sports events.
Audley is currently supporting the Crisis Square Mile Run and encouraging people to sign up, raise vital funds and run to end homelessness this June for the 18th anniversary of the event.
Audley, now living in the United States, took time out after his recent fight in London to visit Crisis' headquarters and its Skylight education, training and employment Centre in East London with his wife and daughter. Speaking candidly about his involvement with the Crisis Square Mile Run, Audley made his dedication to promoting Crisis's work in helping homeless people saying:
"Homeless people are sometimes the forgotten social group within society; no home, no work and separation from loved ones. Crisis is founded to support and uplift anyone and everyone who is homeless. Visiting the headquarters and seeing first hand the tremendous programs and education on offer, I am honoured to become Patron of Crisis Sports Team. I plan to deliver a 'KNOCKOUT BLOW' to homelessness."
The Crisis Square Mile Run is one of Crisis's most popular annual fundraising events, having completely sold out in 2009 with over 2,700 runners taking part. This year the Run will be taking place on the 9 and 10 of June at Paternoster Square. The event is sponsored by Rabobank with LBC 97.3 Talk Radio as media partner and thanks to Fitness First and www.realbuzz.com.
New for 2010 is the Crisis Square Mile Relay, a brand new team event for more competitive runners and another way to join the race to end homelessness. Crisis and Audley Harrison are asking that as many people as possible come together and each raise £100, either by racing in the Crisis Square Mile Relay or running alongside friends and colleagues in the Crisis Square Mile Run. However they do it, the money they raise will directly improve the lives of homeless people throughout the UK: together, Crisis and the people of London can come one step closer to ending homelessness for good
ENDS
Notes to editors
Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people. We are dedicated to ending homelessness by delivering life-changing services and campaigning for change.
Our innovative education, employment, housing and well-being services address individual needs and help people to transform their lives. We are determined campaigners, working to prevent people from becoming homeless and advocating solutions informed by research and our direct experience. We have ambitious plans for the future and are committed to help more people in more places across the UK. We know we won't end homelessness overnight or on our own. But we take a lead, collaborate with others and, together, make change happen.
Crisis Square Mile Run
Since its beginnings in 1992 the event has raised well over £2 million for Crisis, with last year's event being the most successful ever, raising over £160,000. The Run regularly attracts nearly 3000 runners and the money raised has helped Crisis continue to provide essential services to homeless people across the UK.
Crisis are very grateful to its sponsors, media partner and supporters who enable the event to take place:
Rabobank - sponsors
Rabobank Group is a Netherlands based, international financial services provider operating on the basis of cooperative principles with a predominant focus on providing allfinanz services in the domestic market. Internationally the Group's focus is on food and agriculture. In line with its cooperative roots, Rabobank Group is a cooperative bank, comprised of independent local Rabobanks, plus their central organisation Rabobank Nederland and its (international) subsidiaries. The organisation has more than 60,000 employees worldwide and operates in 46 countries.
LBC 97.3 FM - media partner
LBC 97.3 is London's biggest conversation - big personalities in relevant and topical conversation. Attracting over 1 million listeners each week, the format allows for the energy and interactivity of a 24-hour breakfast show, delivering one of London's most loyal and unique commercial radio audiences. Our range of diverse presenters includes some of the greatest communicators in UK radio such as the multi award-winning Nick Ferrari, James O'Brien, Jeni Barnett, James Whale, Ken Livingstone and Simon Calder.
For further media information, please contact Garry Lemon on 020 7426 3880 or garry.lemon@crisis.org.uk . Out of hours mobile contact 07973 372 587
