Bloomberg Square Mile Relay launches community-led initiative ‘The Extra Mile’
This year, Bloomberg Square Mile Relay are giving back to the cities in which their corporate races take place through a community-led initiative that will have a lasting impact beyond the finish line.
The Extra Mile will bring together relay teams and community residents in 11 financial districts to address a unique social challenge in each city. Both runners and spectators will have the opportunity to make a meaningful and actionable difference to healthcare, education, arts or the environment of their communities, all through using the power of sport.
Via online voting, people can choose from three philanthropic projects that all use sport to address a specific local issue. The project with the most votes will then receive support from the Square Mile Relay community through a number of ways. A portion of each team's entry fee will be donated to the designated project to assist the funding of the programme. Runners and race fans will then have the opportunity to donate volunteer hours prior to race day as well as throughout the year. Finally, on the race night, the Square Mile Relay team will highlight the impact of the project and celebrate together as one team.
Voting is now open for The Extra Mile initiative in Sydney and you can vote on the challenge you want addressed most in the city:
ENVIRONMENT & INCLUSION - In disadvantaged areas of Sydney, access to safe sports spaces is limited. These same areas are extremely diverse. Vote for this challenge, and The Extra Mile will refurbish a run-down sport space then develop and provide inclusive sports programming throughout the year for under-served groups.
PUBLIC HEALTH - Healthy education and practices amongst aboriginal groups in Sydney have been proven to be better received and retained if addressed through sports. Vote for this challenge, and The Extra Mile will provide training to community leaders on using sport to teach health and well-being (including sanitation, nutrition, fitness, and sexual health) so they can in turn deliver on those learnings throughout the year.
EDUCATION - In communities heavily populated with diverse immigrant and refugee backgrounds, relations between youth and the police hang in the balance. Vote for this challenge, and The Extra Mile will provide officers with the tools to promote sport on an ongoing basis as a means of connecting with youth in a positive, inclusive, and fun environment to facilitate stronger and more effective communication between youth and police.
For the chance to vote for the challenge you most care about, and subscribe for more information on The Extra Mile programme in Sydney, follow the link here!
"54% of the world’s population currently live in cities, and this is expected to increase to 66% by 2050. It’s where we live and work so it only makes sense that we give back. The Bloomberg Square Mile Relay experience is no longer exclusive to just the team of 10 runners, the entire community have the opportunity to make a difference to their city. We encourage runners and non-runners alike to go the extra mile through participating, actively through volunteering or passively through voting, and contribute to a great cause at the same time."