‘The nation is so proud’: Sara Cox gets royal support as 135-mile Children in Need challenge ends in Leeds
BBC Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox is set to finish her 135-mile Great Northern Marathon Challenge in Pudsey, Leeds, this afternoon, raising money for BBC Children in Need.
The final leg of her gruelling five-day mission to bring Pudsey the Bear to the town of Pudsey marks the end of an extraordinary fundraising effort that has already raised over £5 million for the charity.
Cox's final day was made even more special with a surprise, heartwarming video message from Prince William, revealed this morning on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show by Scott Mills.
The Prince offered words of encouragement to the visibly exhausted and emotional presenter, telling her: “Keep going. You’ve done fantastically well, and the nation is so proud of you.”
His message also included a humorous promise: “I know the people of Pudsey will all come out and welcome you with huge open arms, big hugs…and hopefully, lots of your favourite crumpets.”
Cox, who presents Radio 2’s Teatime Show on weekdays, has over the last week completed the station’s longest-ever challenge, starting from Kielder Forest on the Scottish border.
From there, she has covered Northumberland, Durham and North Yorkshire, finishing in West Yorkshire, relying only on her two feet only.
Speaking to Scott on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show earlier this morning, Sara said: “I'm trying to focus today on this last bit. And not on my pain.
“I'm trying to think of Jude, who I was with yesterday, from the One Show Challenge Squad, because Jude has had over 20 operations and he is only 20 himself. So I'm trying to think of Jude and what he's been through with his pain and just think my pain is temporary. I'm so lucky.
“And I know there'll be children and young people now who are being helped by Children In Need who, for them, chronic pain is a day-in-day-out. It's just part of their life they have to life with. I count my lucky stars that it's just temporary. This will pass, it's just sore now and I'm exhausted but that I'm really lucky.”
Receiving the message of royal support, she added: “Wow, thanks, William, big thank you! Thank you, thanks, that’s very nice!”