Sport Relief: Challenging the nation to step up
5th Feb 2018 Life
4 min read
Join a host of famous faces as the nation comes together to beat an epic one billion steps a day, every day, for Sport Relief #TeamSportRelief #SportRelief
Sport Relief is back and for the first time ever is asking the entire nation to take on a huge collective challenge–to beat a billion steps a day, every day, from March 17th-23rd. A host of famous faces including Zoe Ball, Greg James and Alex Jones will lead the charge and take on their own epic challenges to raise money and inspire the public to make their steps count as part of Team Sport Relief
Running, dancing, dog walking or Zumba-ing all count towards the step total as the nation comes together to raise money and help vulnerable people, across the UK and the world, to live happier, healthier and safer lives.
To help the nation keep track of their hard earned steps and ensure they count towards the national total, the brand new Sport Relief App will be available to download for free. Packed with innovative challenges, exclusive celebrity content and a national step tracker* to keep count towards the billion, it will also include countless ways to get active and raise money for Sport Relief.
The benefits of moving more
As Sport Relief 2018 officially launches, BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James gets back on the saddle to show he’s always ready for Sport Relief. Greg is urging the nation to download the new Sport Relief App and get behind its brand new Billion Steps Challenge to the Great British Public
1. It can make you happier
It has been proven that excersising releases endorphins and make you less prone to anxiety and stress.
2. You get in better shape
Ultimately, if you move more, you lose more. Weightloss is a significant part of why people choose to exercise and getting your step-count up is a brilliant way to drop those extra pounds.
As Sport Relief 2018 officially launches, Tom Daley is urging the nation to download the new Sport Relief App and get behind its brand new Billion Steps Challenge to the Great British Public
3. You feel more lively
Exercising actually gives you more energy than if you rarely move. The more steps you do in a day, the less fatigued you'll feel!
4. You improve your overall health
According to the NHS, people who regulary exercise are 30 per cent less likely to succumb to an early death.
As Sport Relief 2018 officially launches, Jonnie Peacock is urging the nation to download the new Sport Relief App and get behind its brand new Billion Steps Challenge to the Great British Public
5. You'll get a better night's sleep
Exercising regularly gives you a more satisfying sleep pattern and can even be the solution for chronic insomniacs.
All these reasons along with many other benefits to exercise are alone enough to start stepping up, but with the extra motive of the sport relief challenge all your hard work will be going towards a cause that helps people all around the world lead happier, healthier and safer lives.
Liz Warner, CEO of Comic Relief, said:
“Sport Relief gets us all donning our trainers and taking on all types of sporty challenges or running a mile at school to help raise funds.
“In 2018 we have more British celebrities than ever pushing themselves to the limit to help us raise money for Sport Relief, which gives fifty percent of funds to the UK and the other fifty percent to the most desperate communities in the world.
“This is the first time we have asked the nation to take up a collective challenge and we can’t wait to see how many steps we can all do - let's hit a billion steps and get more donations and sponsors coming in to help others.”
Coming up this Sport Relief:
As Sport Relief 2018 officially launches, Zoe Ball has her training gear with her in a stroll on Brighton beach to show she’s always ready for Sport Relief. She is urging the nation to download the new Sport Relief App and get behind its brand new Billion Steps Challenge to the Great British Public
On Friday 23rd March, TV fans can also look forward to the night of TV action, live from Salford on BBC One. The night will include incredible boxing bouts, as celebrities take to the ring and go toe-to-toe after months of hard-hitting training. Spencer Matthews, Wayne Bridge, Vanessa White and Hannah Spearritt are getting ready to rumble, with plenty more names and exciting telly treats to be announced.
Everyone has to start somewhere. Airing in March, BBC Two’s ‘Famously Unfit… for Sport Relief’ will see Les Dennis, Susannah Constantine, Tameka Empson and Miles Jupp put through their paces in a series of gruelling tasks to regain their fitness and kick-start a new healthy lifestyle, before taking on a muddy and exhausting obstacle course in freezing temperatures.
For more information on how to get involved with this year’s Sport Relief campaign, download the Sport Relief App or go to sportrelief.com.
*The Sport Relief step-tracker will convert steps for wheelchair users