Sport Relief 2012 raises a record £50m on the night

Howard Lake | 24 March 2012 | News

Sport Relief last night raised £50,447,19, the largest amount it has raised to date. The final total will be even higher, given that a million or so people are expected to take part in the Sport Relief Mile sponsored event across the country tomorrow.
The total has been boosted following the government’s announcement that it will match £10 million of individuals’ donations to Sport Relief.
The money raised will be spent by Comic Relief to change lives across the UK and the world’s poorest countries.
The fundraising campaign has run every two years from 2002.
Sports and entertainment stars took part in Friday evening’s telethon, including Miranda Hart, Gary Lineker, Davina McCall, Dermot O’Leary, Frank Skinner, Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Linford Christie, Colin Jackson, and Strictly Come Dancing winners Harry Judd and Aliona Vilani.

Gruelling sporting challenges

A number of gruelling physical challenges helped increase the total. Comedian John Bishop experienced a “week of hell” cycling, rowing across the English Channel, and running, completing the 290 miles between Paris and London.
Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton succeeded in reaching the South Pole following a 500-mile trek. It was also announced last night that comedian David Walliams’ swim along 140 miles of the River Thames in September 2011 had now raised £2,501,240.
Also Andrew Flintoff managed to break 14 world records in 12 hours.

Range of fundraising activity

This year’s event included a mobile app, the Twitrelief celebrity auction on eBay and raffle (handled by Rogavi.com), a range of merchandise, and a network of call centre staff who volunteered to handle donations on the night.

Past fundraising totals on the night

Sport Relief 2006 raised £18,000,000.
Sport Relief 2008 raised £19,640,321.
Sport Relief 2010 raised £31,633,091.
www.sportrelief.com

About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.