Sport Relief Mile 2014: 1000 Euros for street newspaper Shedia
The British Embassy organised Sport Relief Mile 2014 and raised 1000 Euros for street newspaper Shedia
Dozens of friends of all ages gathered at Panathinaiko Stadium to run a mile and donate for Shedia Street Newspaper on the morning of Sunday, 16 March. The event was part of the British Embassy’s Sport Relief Mile 2014 initiative. With the bright Athenian sun as an ally and the breathtaking views of the Acropolis and Lycabettus Hill adorning the length of the route, participants engaged in an enjoyable sporting experience in support of charity.
The donations amounted to 1006 Euros and were presented to Shedia representative Emily Duka by the British Ambassador John Kittmer and Embassy staff the day after the event.
British Ambassador John Kittmer said:
I want to thank everyone who responded to our invitation and participated in Sport Relief 2014, in support of the Shedia street newspaper. It was a really good experience. I also want to thank all the volunteers who gave their time and their energy in organising this event, including staff of the British Embassy as well as the Red Cross’s volunteers who covered our event.
Social inclusion, the protection of human dignity, social solidarity and volunteering are values deeply rooted in British and Greek societies. As the British Embassy in Greece, we intend to expand our activities and our partnerships to highlight the importance of active and concerned citizens in modern societies.
Christos Alefantis, Editorial Director of Shedia, said:
We want in turn to thank the British Embassy and its staff for their active support of Shedia. We believe that actions such as the Sport Relief Mile 2014, not only promote the athletic spirit, but also social cohesion and solidarity, two values particularly useful and relevant to the modern world. The event last Sunday for us was a powerful experience from all aspects. Not only is the economic dimension important (note: the amount raised by donations from the dozens of named and unnamed friends who participated in Sport Relief will be used to support our ‘ Goal to Poverty ‘action). Equally important is how through initiatives such as the Sport Relief Mile, we are able to get everyone closer and join forces against poverty and social exclusion. For us it was very important that six Shedia vendors ran the mile. Six people experiencing the economic and social crisis in the harshest way responded to our call as their way of fighting one more important battle.
From the depths of our hearts we thank the people of the British Embassy, all the volunteers and of course, the participants who contributed to such a simple and beautiful action of love and solidarity.
Further information
Sport Relief takes place every two years as part of the Comic Relief charity event, which has a presence of over 40 years in Britain. Hundreds of thousands of people of all ages participate in charity races organized across the UK, running or walking 1, 3 or 6 miles. The money raised by the actions of Comic Relief aim to help improve the lives of many fellow citizens from around the world.
The Shedia street newspaper hit the streets of Athens on 27 February 2013 and is issued on the last Wednesday of every month since.