Richard Dunwoody MBE, the most successful jump jockey in racing history, has confirmed his participation at this year’s BG Energy Challenge 2008 – UK. As a Sparks patron, the three times National Hunt Jockey Champion will be captain of the Charity Team along with representatives from both benefiting charities Sparks and CARE International. The event, which takes place in Plymouth from 10-12 July, is part of a global series and over £3.9 million has been raised to date by BG Energy Challenge events worldwide.
Richard said:
"After my recent record breaking expedition to the South Pole, I was keen for another challenge and was delighted to be given the opportunity not only to participate in the BG Energy Challenge, but also to help raise money for Sparks."
Sparks, the children’s medical research charity, has announced two projects selected to receive monies from the BG Energy Challenge 2008 – UK. The first is the Clubfoot project based at Aberdeen University, which investigates causes of Clubfoot in Europe and the Pacific. The project received over £40,000 from last year’s BG Energy Challenge and as a result, researchers have identified a gene which could be a possible cause.. The second project, based at The Children’s Hospital, John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, looks at how to optimise nutritional input to facilitate growth and developments in young children with cerebral palsy.
Sparks CEO John Shanley said:
“We are extremely grateful that BG Group has once again chosen to give their support to Sparks and in particular these two projects. Our mission is for all babies to be born healthy and stay healthy and monies raised from the BG Energy Challenge 2008 – UK event will help us to continue to fund vital medical research which will hopefully allow the next generation to have the same opportunities that many of us have been able to enjoy.
The support of organisations like BG Group is particularly important to us because so much cutting edge paediatric research in the UK today depends on charities like Sparks rather than the public purse.”
With over £205,000 raised at last year’s event in Stirling, Sparks and CARE International, the overseas relief and development charity, will be hoping that the teams can raise the bar even higher this year. The event itself will see hundreds of employees from companies associated with the energy sector face three days of tough physical, mental and strategic challenges including activities such as orienteering, mountain biking, problem solving and complex construction.
The BG Energy Challenge series has been running worldwide since 1996 with events being held in Brazil, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, Oman, Trinidad & Tobago, and the US.
Those associated with the energy industry wishing to take part and help with the fundraising can register online at: www.bg-energychallenge.com
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Notes to editors
BG Group
BG Group plc (LSE: BG.L) is a world leader in natural gas, with a strategy focused on connecting competitively-priced resources to specific, high-value markets. Active in 27 countries on five continents, BG Group has a broad portfolio of exploration and production, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), transmission and distribution and power generation business interests. BG Group seeks to support social and economic development in the communities where it does business by providing structured funding for community initiatives that match its skills transfer theme. For more information, visit www.bg-group.com
BG Group’s sponsorship portfolio is called Energy for life. The BG Energy Challenge series is one of three sponsorships that make up the Energy for life portfolio. For further information visit www.bg-group.com/sponsorship
About CARE International
CARE is one of the world’s largest aid agencies, working in over 60 countries to fight poverty and helping more than 55 million people every year. Our long-term programmes tackle the deep-seated causes of poverty and we are always among the first to respond when disaster strikes. We remain with communities to help them rebuild their lives long after the cameras have gone. For more information about CARE, visit www.careinternational.org.uk. Charity Registration No 292506
About Sparks
Sparks is a charity dedicated to funding pioneering paediatric research with a single aim: Helping ALL babies to be born healthy and stay healthy. Sparks is unique because it is the only children’s charity to fund research across the whole spectrum of paediatric medicine. Since 1991, Sparks has committed over £15.5 million to fund research into conditions such as childhood cancer, childhood arthritis, meningitis, club foot, cerebral palsy, spina bifida and all the risks associated with premature birth. For more information please visit: www.sparks.org.uk Charity Registration No 1003825
Clubfoot
Clubfoot, also known as congenital talipes equinovarus, is a common disorder of one or both feet in which the patient cannot stand with the sole of the foot flat on the ground. In the most common form, the foot is twisted downwards and inwards so that the patient walks on the outer edge of the upper sole of the foot. The disorder is present at birth, is treatable but there is still no cure. Without treatment, a child would never be able to walk or run.
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral Palsy can be caused by damage to the developing brain either through injury during birth, lack of oxygen before birth, abnormal brain development, meningitis or viral infection. It can lead to a wide range of conditions, from lack of balance, impaired intelligence, posture and speech may also be affected to weakness of limbs and epilepsy; paralysis of the limbs being the most common disability.
About Intelligent Sport
Intelligent Sport® is the fastest growing team development concept in the world - specifically designed for business. Its primary aim is to give companies and their key people first-hand experience of the power of teamwork, drawing on strategy, intellect and physical ability to teach the skills and provide the inspiration that will make a difference to their performance. For more information, visit www.intelligentsport.com
For more information about the event and how you can get involved please contact:
Katrina Spring / BG Group
katrina.spring@bg-group.com
0118 929 2944
For media information, please contact:
Anna Grainger / brandRapport
agrainger@brand-rapport.com
01483 20 20 50
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