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CEO Justin King raises £100,000 for Sport Relief

Sainsbury

22 March 2010


Sainsbury's CEO Justin King completes his 32 mile run across the UK today, Saturday 20th March, having raised more than £100,000 for Sport Relief.
Sainsbury's increased its pledged donations to Sport Relief to £4million from the estimated £3million. This is the retailer's biggest fund raising donation to date for Sport Relief.
CEO Justin King said: "We have smashed the £2.3million raised last Sport Relief and the original target we set ourselves this year. Sainsbury's customers and colleagues have clubbed together to raise an incredible £4million and I am absolutely bowled over by the support that has been given to this great cause."
Over the last four days Justin has run 32 miles in total - one mile in 32 different locations across the UK. Justin began his first mile in Holywood, in Belfast on Tuesday 16th March and completes his final run today (Saturday 20th March) in Barnet, London.
He has been joined on each leg of the run by colleagues from stores across the country, and has been encouraging colleagues and customers to enter the Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile on Sunday 21st March - to be held at hundreds of locations across the country.
Justin said: "I am always amazed and humbled by the fantastic work that Sport Relief does. I have been privileged to see firsthand the positive effect money can have in transforming lives both in the UK and in the world's poorest countries.
"I set myself a personal challenge to run a mile in each of Sainsbury's 32 store regions over four days and I am very proud to say that we've raised more than £100,000 through sponsorship and donations we've received along the way."
The retailer has been a principle supporter of Sport Relief since 2006 and has since raised over £8 million. This year, 150,000 Sainsbury's colleagues throughout the country have joined Justin in supporting Sport Relief and have worked with local schools and organisations and customers to raise much needed funds.
In addition to its fundraising efforts, Sainsbury's has also made it easier than ever for customers to donate to Sport Relief. Through Sainsbury's new ‘round-up' system  customers have been able to give the charity the change from their Sainsbury's shopping bill, rounding up to the nearest pound.
Kevin Cahill, Comic Relief CEO said: "We've always been immensely impressed with how Sainsbury's colleagues embrace our fundraising campaigns. Justin's 32 miles around the UK is another great example of how to lead from the front, and bring people together to get active, raise cash and change lives."
Notes to editors
For further images of Justin King's 32 mile run for Sport Relief log on to http://www.flickr.com/j-sainsbury
About Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's has supported Comic Relief since 1999 and has raised over £43 million for the charity to date. In 2009, Sainsbury's handed over £11 million on Red Nose Day, the largest cheque ever received in Comic Relief's history.
Sainsbury's is also the headline sponsor of the Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile, taking place at over 300 locations around the UK on Sunday 21st March 2010. For more information see www.sainsburys.co.uk/sportrelief.
In addition to its fundraising efforts, Sainsbury's has made it easier than ever for customers to donate to Sport Relief. Through Sainsbury's new ‘round-up' system, customers can give to the charity the change from their Sainsbury's shopping bill, rounding up to the nearest pound.
Sainsbury's sells the official range of Sport Relief merchandise including socks, water bottles, phone socks and bouncy balls.
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 http://www.sportrelief.com/
Sport Relief is an initiative of Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland).
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