Sport Relief Goes…All Out for India

Sport Relief (http://www.sportrelief.com ) Goes…All Out For India follows a group of famous faces as they pick up the cricketing gauntlet and witness first hand how money raised through Sport Relief is being spent to change lives.

With former England spinner Phil Tufnell leading them, the NatWest Sport Relief Red Socks face three mighty cricketing challenges - first against two teams who have benefited from Sport Relief money and then the grand finale against a line-up of Bollywood superstars.

The first match sees the Red Socks travel to meet some of the survivors of the tsunami who are rebuilding their lives thanks to Sport Relief money.

For the second match of the tour, in the city of Chennai, the opposition is made up of youngsters who have been given the chance to escape the back breaking and dangerous work they are forced to do to survive.

The trip culminates in a nerve wracking show-down against a Bollywood XI in Mumbai - with England Captain Freddie Flintoff even taking time out to give the Red Socks a few pointers!

The NatWest Sport Relief Red Socks are: Phil Tufnell (Captain), Alvin Kallicharan (coach), Rosalie Birch, Mark Chapman, Chris Evans, Nick Hancock, Jake Humphrey, Harry Judd, Patrick Kielty, Nick Knowles, Dermot O’Leary, Jack Russell and Jay Sean.

Notes to Editors

The film is a BBC/Open University co-production for Sport Relief 2006 (http://www.sportrelief.com ). The Open University's ongoing support for Sport Relief is part of its mission to increase wider participation in education and social justice both in the UK and the developing world.

NatWest is the proud sponsor of Sport Relief’s celebrity cricket team. Winner of two Hollis awards for an innovative cricket sponsorship programme spanning over 25 years, NatWest hopes their support will help to raise awareness of projects in the area and encourage the great British public to make a world of difference.

Interviews and photographs are available on request

Go the Extra Mile on Sport Relief Saturday, July 15th 2006. Visit Sport Relief (http://www.sportrelief.com ) to find out more

To make a donation, call 08457 910 910 (local call charges apply)

Sport Relief was set up by Comic Relief and BBC Sport to tackle poverty and disadvantage here at home and overseas

Since its launch in 2002, Sport Relief has raised over £30 million

Half of the money raised will be spent in the UK to help give those living in disadvantaged and divided communities a better life; the other half will help children and young people in the world’s poorest countries, faced with the daily reality of extreme poverty, abuse and exploitation

Sport Relief is an initiative of Comic Relief, registered charity 326568, in association with BBC Sport

For more information on NatWest’s cricket sponsorship contact:
Nigel Owen, Media Relations Manager
Tel: 020 7672 1932 or email: Nigel.owen@natwest.com

THE PROJECTS VISITED

International Children’s Trust

India has 15 million working children – the highest number in the world – and because of long working hours, these children can’t attend school. The International Children’s Trust gives them the chance to get back into education by setting up ‘transit’ schools and evening classes.

The Railway Children

There are currently an estimated 200,000 children living on the streets of every one of India’s major cities. The Railway Children project provides health, education and shelter to these street children. It also provides support to children who live on India’s railways.

Methodist Relief and Development Fund

The tsunami in December 2004 caused devastating damage along the south-eastern coastline of India. This project supplies clean food, water, and health aid to the affected communities, and has help them to start rebuilding their lives.

International Children’s Trust

8,000 people died when the tsunami hit the Indian city of Tamil Nadu with 140,000 people still living in relief centres today. This project carries on the work of the NTTRC, set up shortly after the Tsunami struck. It will provide relief and rehabilitation to thousands of people who are trying to regain their livelihoods.